The Law of Three
by BaBeSgIrL
Summary: (Second story in the New God Chronicles) The next journey of Neo's life begins, the new god at Camp Half-Blood is about to discover a whole new group of heroes, Earth's Mightiest Heroes, to be exact.
1. Prologue

_Author Note: This is purely a work of fanfiction, and this author does not own any recognizable character's from Harry Potter, Percy Jackson or Avengers._

 **The Law of Three**

 **Prologue**

It has been three days since Neo returned from Olympus and everything was more or less the same as before he had left. Most of the campers still thought that his Norse heritage meant he didn't belong there. Then there were others who thought that the Asgardians were lesser gods than those from Olympus so they took the chance to test his strength whenever they could. It wasn't a bad thing though, in the end Neo got the exercise and training he needed but that didn't change the fact that every one of the campers who had been his training and sparing partners were still "unable" (more like scared) to continue lessons. One good thing that had stayed the same was Constance, she was happy to see him because he was the only one she wanted riding her. The Pegasus had become loyal to him and only him.

Even his living arrangement was almost the same as before. Neo hadn't moved back into Cabin Eleven with all of the other demigod children acting strange around him still. It seemed Neo was destined to be separate from this group of people he was a part of just like he was in the Wizarding World, but this time he wouldn't even have "house mates". That didn't really bother him though because he much preferred the company of Loki, Jormungandr and Fenrir over the demigods of Camp Half-Blood, even with the odd behavior of the two Sons of Loki.

He sighed as he let his thoughts stew while he ate his breakfast. The other three in the room glanced at his melancholy form before returning to their own meals knowing they should just let him think. At least something's were different, even though any changes could be counted on one hand. One change involved the three new guests to his tent, whom had fallen into a routine around him.

Loki would stay in the tent for a few hours after breakfast and enjoy his time as he studied and learned new types of magic from the books Neo would loan him from his trunk. In the afternoons he would spend time training Neo in Æsir magic and anything he had learned from what he read beforehand. Neo knew Loki would usually leave before noon and not return until those lessons. He decided that Loki must be keeping an eye on Asgard because sometimes he would return with something that was alien to Earth, or with a very sour attitude which was usually accompanied by a lack of a small trinket. But as Loki never cared to share his activities with Neo, the young god figured that it was better to not ask about them.

Jormungandr and Fenrir both chose to spend time running around in the woods. Fenrir had commented once that he found it exciting to kill the monsters that lurked around the camp, and Jormungandr explained that because the woods where thick that many of the Greek monster took up refuge in the trees and away from mortals. But, just like Loki, Fenrir and Jormungandr took the chance to continue Neo's training.

The wolf god took his cousin for runs after his training with Loki where they ran the perimeter of Camp Half-Blood. Fenrir loved being able to change into his wolf form when they ran. The first time they ran together was a surprise for both of them. It was the same pace they had left off on before their trip to the Lotus Casino, but Fenrir soon found out it was too easy of a pace. The new god found himself having to exert himself less than before, so Neo ran faster and faster until he disappeared in a flash. As the Son of Hermes Neo was able to travel as fast as his Dad, and when he tried to stop in shock he tripped and tumbled across the ground for a long time before he came to a stop as he collided with the base of a tree. He had only received a few scraps but his clothes had been torn and were no longer wearable. Luckily the jacket he always wore was fine. The tree wasn't well either, and had a dent in its trunk. After that they worked on controlling his speed, agility, reflexes and running skills that would improve his foot work and help him dodge or change course without losing speed. Fenrir was still able to keep up with Neo but he didn't know how long that would last because the wolf was sure that his cousin kept getting faster and faster.

Jormungandr kept teaching him hand-to-hand and they had just finished the basic striking and grappling/wrestling techniques where he learned weak points. He was also making Neo practice meditation along with gymnastic moves and stretches, as a cool down after his runs to help him focused and balance his energies while keeping him limber. For the next few weeks Neo would learn more formal techniques like western Boxing, Taekwondo, Karate, Muay Tai, Judo, Sumo, Aikido, Brazilian Jiujitsu and even Tai Chi plus anything else that Jormungandr felt Neo could learn and master. And thanks to Neo's physique he had the potential for a lot of things; because he was both strong thanks to Thor's genetics increasing his muscle strength without giving him unnecessary bulk, and agile due to his inheritance from Hermes. The older and larger god had showed him a few Muay Tai moves that he practiced on trees. When Jormungandr broke a pine tree in half Neo was impressed. The Midgard Serpent was even more impressed with Neo when they started training again, because since his ascension into godhood Neo had become even stronger and more skilled at picking things up quickly. He knew that it would only be a matter of time before Neo had developed his own style of fighting, which would be the next step once he mastered what Jormungandr had to teach him.

Besides the addition of the three new gods and his extra training only three things had significantly changed at camp; (1) Luke was spending even more time with him than before meaning they worked on weapons training and Luke gave him a crash course in being a normal teenager by doing almost everything Neo had never done before such as skateboarding, water skiing, going into the city to play at the arcade, and anything else they could think of while they were out; (2) once Hephaestus had sent Clarisse's spear and Neo placed a very strong unbreakable charm on it, he gave it to Clarisse who showed her gratitude by rendering one of her brothers unconscious when he made the mistake of talking badly about Neo where Clarisse could hear, but when Neo found out about it Clarisse was very insistent that it didn't make them friends because she was just "teaching him some respect", and (3) Percy wasn't as distant as before and they had quickly gone from allies to friends thanks to Neo's generally friendly attitude toward people and his ability to accept anyone he met because no matter what, Grover would always be Percy's best friend.

Percy was happy that he had another friend. He liked talking to Neo and when the other would tell him about the Wizarding World Percy would feel like he was listening to some story plot for a fantasy novel, even though he had seen the gods of Olympus who weren't supposed to exist either. It shocked Percy that people beside his Mom could be as nice and understanding as Neo, but that wasn't all; Neo was strong, smart, loyal, always fought fair, and even though he could stop a boulder like it was nothing Neo was always careful when they were sparing.

Their sparing matches were something else that Percy liked. Neo was a really good instructor which was probably because it was just him and Percy working together, but Percy always felt like he had gotten more out of the lessons with Neo than anyone else. He could see the difference between Neo and Annabeth the most when he compared how they acted while sparing. Neo was more concerned about Percy and if he understood the lesson. In the end Annabeth may have been teaching him how to fight, but Percy was sure she was more concerned about showing off what she knew and proving that she was more experienced than him.

Even though Luke was finally out of Cronus' control, Clarisse was being civil for once, and Percy was quickly becoming his friend, things hadn't really changed. If the last three days had taught Neo anything it was that nothing was going to change. So there he was eating breakfast in a tent next to a Camp that wasn't as homey as it was before and wondering what he was still doing there.

Chiron was still teaching him but the lessons were later that morning and gave him three hours that he would have to wait. It wasn't actually that long of a wait and he could usually find something to do, but Neo was starting to get that feeling again. The one that makes him antsy, and he usually gets it just before some life threatening adventure. It's like an early warning signal and it always goes away as soon as the danger presents itself.

Today that feeling was pulling him toward something he couldn't describe. He pushed it to the back of his mind just like he usually did, but something happened this time that had never happened before. Neo had just finished breakfast and was stepping out of the tent when he felt a sudden strengthening of the connection between him and Death that caused him to almost trip before he heard Death speak to him.

" _Neo! I need your help, come quickly!_ " Death was almost screaming in his head but she was graciously suppressing her message so that it didn't hurt him.

'What are you talking about? Where…,' but he hadn't even finished the thought before he felt a shift under his feet and he was suddenly standing in the middle of the desert.

"Bollocks," he whispered as he looked around at what was happening. A small battle was being waged between what Neo understood as a possible terrorist cell (because he was pretty sure that normal people didn't camp out in remote locations with that much fire power sitting all over the place) and a big robot.

After quickly observing the fight he realized that his sudden presence had gone unnoticed, which was definitely a good thing with all of the bullets flying around because that was dangerous enough without people actually pointing the weapon at him on purpose. Neo quickly ducked behind a crate and finally his gaze landed on Death who appeared next to his crouched form.

"Get down," he said and pulled her arm making her kneel to keep from falling. "What's going on?"

"Don't worry, Master. I made sure that we can't get hit. When I pulled you here I activated the Death Ring with the intention of being incorporeal, didn't I tell you it could do that?" she asked sheepishly.

Neo stared at her with his mouth open for a moment before he answered, "No I'm pretty sure you forgot to mention that part."

"Oops, the ring doesn't just turn you invisible, like the cloak did; it can put you between the Realms of the living and dead where you won't be affected by anything. Mortals call it Limbo, and you could even walk through walls, it's like we're ghosts. I do it all the time," she smiled and stood up before she stepped into the path of one of the gunmen and he passed right through her. "Anyway, I'm here to claim the souls of these terrible men and I'll be putting them to good use when I get back to my Realm. But I need your help to keep that man alive," she told him then pointed at what he had thought was a metal robot earlier which was using a flame thrower to set everything on fire.

"Are you talking about that hunt of junk?" he questioned, his tone clearly showing confusion.

"It's not junk, it's a work of genius or a genius if you wanted to get technical. There's a man in that suit of armor and he built it out of spare missile parts while he was being held captive and tortured by these men," she waved around at the terrorists, "who were supposed to kill him but instead they kept him alive and were trying to force him into building a very powerful missile for them. He is currently succeeding in his escape and I think he is doing a very good job given the circumstances."

"Alright I get your point, but uh…what am I doing here? You kinda forgot to mention that," he noted with a sarcastic smirk.

"Oh! Well like I said, I'm here for those souls that will be passing on, but a last minute change in schedule has left quite a problem. You see he should have escaped by now but he stopped when his fellow prisoner was shot and he will still be able to escape but the biggest problem is what will happen after. The same energy powering the suit is what's keeping him alive so when that energy is gone he will die. But he must live," she reached out and took his hand. "I'm asking you, please keep him alive."

Neo really didn't have to think about it. He knew if Death said that this guy was supposed to live then it was important and Neo would do everything possible to make sure whoever it was stayed alive. But there was one question he needed answered first. "I'll do it, but who is this guy anyway?"

"His name is Anthony Stark," she stopped when a roaring noise started to come from the direction of the suit of armor. A cloud of hot dirt was gathering around the feet of the giant metal suit as it began to lift into the air, "and he's leaving, hurry."

Neo nodded and took off into the air but didn't get far before Death sent a message through the connection again, " _One more thing. These men still have the possibility of living, but they_ should _die,_ " Death was quiet after that and she gazed meaningfully into Neo's eyes communicating without words what she meant.

Neo flinched back when he understood. Was she really asking him to give the order to kill everyone here? Neo suddenly felt cold, he was no stranger to people dying or even taking a life, but to order Death was a big step. Neo understood that he would eventually have to make this decision, when Death had first hinted at his responsibilities as Master of Death and how anything he decided to command Death to do she would have to, but he didn't know what to do now.

He thought over his answer carefully before saying, "I'm not you, and I don't know what's best. I can't see into the future or measure the value of a soul, all I can say is…I give you permission to do what you think is right."

He could see the smile on Death's face as she told him, " _Well said, now go._ "

Neo silently turned and followed the smoke trail left by the armor's rockets, and even though his mind was a little numb he could feel a spark of warm pride blossom in his chest but he soon figured out that it was coming from the other side of his connection with Death.

He silently followed Anthony for awhile until the man and suit started to fall to the ground. Neo acted quickly, while deactivating the ring he flew toward the suit grabbing it before it picked-up too much speed. Holding the hulking armor as he let his power over the wind lower them slowly to the ground, Neo thought it was odd that the armor didn't weigh that much. With its size though the armor should be heavy, so Neo guessed it must be him. Had he really gotten so strong? With his feet touching the ground Neo gently lowered his cargo onto the sand.

Death had said that some energy was powering the suit but he couldn't sense any electricity coming from it. There wasn't any noise coming from the man inside the suit so he must have been unconscious or dead. That thought set Neo into action.

He searched for some way to get the man out but he could see that the suit was bolted together. In desperation he grabbed the metal helmet with his hands and tore it off. Neo checked for a pulse and placed his hand over Anthony's face to see if he could feel air. Nothing. Neo grabbed the neck and shoulder and ripped off the chest plate. That was when he saw something that would have disturbed his dreams if he still dreamed like a mortal. In the middle of the other mans chest was a small round machine. It must have been the power source because Neo could feel a faint spark coming from the disc, but that was slowly dwindling as time passed.

He didn't want to apply pressure to the man's chest incase he accidently broke the device or damaged the other's ribs, so traditional CPR was out but Neo remembered that you could use electricity to restart a heart. So he slowly channeled magic and felt for his connection with lightning then summoned a small lightning bolt that hit the device. The still body suddenly jerked and the device gave a small glow. 'Just a little more,' Neo thought as he sent another jolt into the device. This time it was a little brighter. Neo changed tactics and used his power to send a rhythmic pulse of power into the machine and as it slowly started to get brighter the jolt was stimulating the heart. The device powered up and the man started to breathe again. Neo heaved a sigh of relief and his shoulders sagged as he relaxed.

"Well don't you look worse for wear," Neo said as he sat back and looked at the man. Anthony's lips where chapped and his face was covered in dirt, bruises in different stages of healing, and abrasions. Neo knew what had happened because he could read the patterns of the bruises, they were almost circular and concentrated on the cheek and jaw area. The man in front of him was dehydrated, probably malnourished and had been used as a punching bag but he was still alive and he had escaped on his own. Anthony Stark was not a push over that's for sure. Neo smiled grimly, he was quickly being reminded of the Wizarding War, and he was drawing too many similarities between himself and this man.

"Well you owe me one Anthony," Neo said and viewed the surroundings, "but you're not out of the woods yet. We need to find help."

With the older man still unconscious Neo started to strip the armor off. When he was done Neo packed it up into his locket, and praised his paranoid tendency of keeping most of his things with him wherever he went because the only thing he didn't have right now was his tent. Armor packed he hefted his unconscious traveling companion onto his back and with his instinctual sense of direction he got from Hermes, Neo started walking.

 ***Break***

Tony had a few moments where he swam through the thick fog of unconsciousness into consciousness, but he couldn't make sense of what was going on. He felt like he was moving but no one was hitting him awake so he hadn't passed out from torture again.

He was a little more coherent the fourth time and when he saw the light of day he tried to make a run for it hoping he could get away from whoever had him. But all he succeeded in doing was falling onto the sand. He didn't feel so good after his landing and he knew he was being pulled back into unconsciousness again but a shadow passed over him again and he struggled to open his eyes. Tony saw the most beautiful long black-lashed emerald eyes he had ever seen before he was out like a light, and the last thing he thought was that he had defied his expectations and made it into heaven.

Neo knew it wasn't good. It seemed that Anthony had a concussion. As he knelt over the downed man Neo saw him open his eyes for a few seconds before he passed out again. Running his hands soothingly through the dirty black hair of the other man Neo wished he knew healing spells that could work. But thanks to the books from Hecate he knew that magic could work without an incantation if the intent was strong enough, so Neo focused on what he wanted. Heal, repair, renew, with his focus on these simple words magic flowed out in golden swirls and sunk below the skin under his fingers. Seeing that it was working Neo moved closer and then bent down to cradle Anthony's head in his hands as he moved the man's torso onto his lap. He let his magic fulfill his wish. When the magic started to feel like it was slowing Neo moved his hands down Anthony's arms and over his chest avoiding the metal in the center. It knit the torn muscles back together, repaired the broken blood vessels, and mended the fractured and cracked ribs. Neo could feel it, he had been developing a deeper connection to his magic and he could feel it moving through the other man's body.

Magic had always been a part of his life but Neo felt like it was evolving into something more than it was before. Just like his Mage Sight had slowly grown to be able to do more, his magic kept changing. It was like it was connected to his nerve endings now and when it moved he could feel what it was touching like it was his own hand, his own senses.

While he was meditating during a lesson with Jormungandr he found out something strange, his magic was semi-sentient. After that Neo had been thinking about it often. His magic was being connected to his instincts; it was like his unconscious thoughts had been tied to his magic and sometimes it had even reacted without him using a spell. He remembered the stray arrow that had almost shot him in the back of the neck just the day before. His instincts told him that there was incoming danger and before he could utter the shield spell a strong shield appeared and a protective feeling thrummed through his core.

After that day he noticed how his senses would find possible dangers and his magic would awaken at his slightest thought. His mind and magic were becoming one and he didn't know how to feel about it before, but as he embraced the feeling of his magic healing Stark it seemed to solidify into place and balanced out. Neo felt his magic like he felt his fingers.

When he was done healing Anthony, Neo tested his magic. Instead of thinking about a spell he thought about moving it like a hand as he decided on making sparks in the air he saw small flashes of light appear in front of his face. The he thought of conjuring a bird and out of thin air a small finch appeared and flew away.

Neo's eyes widened that had never happened before, "Wow," he muttered and then a childish grin spread across his face. 'One more test,' he thought. Then he thought about something he wanted to happen.

A small mound of sand started to swirl in a little tornado, and then it turned into a small sandy dog that started to bounce around in the air. As he willed it to change shape Neo felt like a little kid again. He gathered more sand with a thought and turned them into different animals making them run around through the air and play tag. He laughed out loud but decided that that was enough. Most of the sand fell back onto the ground but a small ball of sand came closer, and Neo watched as his magic turned it into a tiny copy of the armor that he had in his locket before the sand became glass. He plucked the figurine out of the air and put it in his pocket.

"Now that's magic," he whispered as he smiled down at the sleeping man before a pout showed on his face, "and you weren't even watching. You're such a bad audience Anthony," Neo teased the unconscious man.

He realized he had taken enough of a break and lifted the sleeping man into his arms carrying him like a bride as he continued toward what he hoped was a place where he could find help. To fight off the heat, Neo beckoned a cool breeze to follow them as they traveled and he formed a sand cloud to shade them from direct sunlight.

Soon after that he heard a helicopter in the distance and he could almost see a small spot on the horizon, but it was still very far away. It seemed to be circling around and would soon be heading in their direction.

Neo laid Anthony on the ground and slowly woke him up with his magic. As the older man's eyes opened Neo looked into his eyes and cast a memory spell on him, "You walked here from where you crashed after your escape. Right now you're very exhausted from the long walk and you're going to sleep for a little while."

Deep in a trance, Anthony nodded and slowly sunk back into the sand as he closed his eyes. Neo sat there and provided shade until the helicopter started getting close enough that the men inside would see them. He banished the cloud and hid under an illusion that made him look like a sand dune and watched as Anthony was picked up by a man who seemed to be his friend.

Seeking out Death through there connection he told her, 'I'm finished here, so I'll be heading back to camp before I'm late for my lessons with Chiron.'

A feeling of thanks came with Death's reply, " _That's good news, thank you, Master._ "

With that he was gone, teleporting back to the entrance of Camp Half-Blood.

 ***Break***

Tony Stark sat in his private plane trying to drink away the last few days and the memories were slowly starting to dull for a minute, but he couldn't bring himself to close his eyes and it wasn't actually flashbacks to the cave. It wasn't the pain either, because he was feeling fine and he had gotten his butt kicked plenty of times while he was in school thanks to his attitude.

Every time he closed his eyes he saw the most beautiful pair of green eyes he had ever seen. But the thing keeping him awake was the sound of a voice. He couldn't remember the words but when he closed his eyes he could see those two shining emeralds, and he heard that soothing voice again. But the harder he tried to remember the more he got frustrated that he couldn't remember and it was keeping him awake.

Sometime later Tony had finally succeeded in falling asleep and he dreamed of green eyes and a soothing voice while a feeling of peace kept him from waking.

 ***Break***

Elric followed after his young Lord as they exited the bank they had been in for the last two hours. His young master had all of his affairs in order now. A sizable amount of money in the billions had been put into an account that Neo was given a card to (and he still had the infinite money on the Lotus Casino card). That's when Elric thought back to the conversation he had with Lady Death.

*Flashback*

"That folder contains all of the correct documentation for one Neo Evan Thorson; a 17 year old young man with dual-citizenship in Britain and America, who's Father and Mother died in a home invasion and has been taken care of for the last 16 years by his guardian while they traveled around the world. Thankfully I have ways of making sure that the paperwork is not questioned. It lists Neo as a recently emancipated minor who was under the care of Azrael Nightshade until he turned 17. Even the world Governments will find everything in order. I ask that once you arrive you make sure that Neo receives the folder, and that he goes to the bank listed to have those accounts turned over to him, as soon as possible. These accounts are under the Aliases for his parents and have been set up as an inheritance, it is already stipulated that when he turns 17 he will have access to those accounts. Here take this," she handed over a photo, "It's the alley next to the bank so Neo will be able to just "pop in". Everything is his and his alone," she turned to look Elric in the eye. "I will hold you responsible for punishing anyone who dares to trick him into giving his money, or anything else, to an unworthy cause."

"Of course, I would never let my young Lord be taken for a fool by a plebian, mortal or otherwise," Elric responded.

"Good once he has his money situated I will leave the decision up to him if he wants to invest it or not. You may leave now. I trust you remember where to find him?" Death finished.

"Yes, Lady Death," with a final bow Elric was gone.

Elric had gone straight to Camp Half-Blood after his meeting with Death. The Spirits arrival was quiet as he passed through the barrier of the Camp, and he was able to find his young Master quickly.

It was when he decided to announce his presence to his new Master that the trouble started.

Elric walked out from the shade of a tree as he watched his Master move gracefully while he spared with another teenager. Neo wasn't the first person to notice him though.

Luke had a group of younger kids he was teaching and he was the first one to notice the white haired guy step out of the shadows and when he started to walk toward Neo while his brothers back was turned Luke moved to stop him. As he ran to intercept the new man, Luke saw how his eyes never left Neo.

'This guys giving me bad vibes,' Luke told himself. And the man's eyes set off his instinct to kill a threat, because Luke had only seen eyes like that on a monster.

Luke swung his sword at the monster trying to kill it while it was distracted but in a blur the man brought his arm up and intercepted his sword with a small dagger.

While Luke was putting as much pressure into the blade his opponent seemed to barely exert himself and thankfully that was when Neo noticed something wrong as all the other kids started to react to the stranger.

Neo turned and saw what was going on. "Stop," he yelled hoping that Luke would listen to him, but Luke was not the first one to react to his command.

Elric jumped out of Luke's range and sheathed his dagger in its hiding place so quickly no one saw exactly where it had disappeared to.

The spirit bowed to his Master, which angered Luke due to being so casually dismissed as a threat.

The young god stopped his half-brother from striking out at the spirit again, before he quickly explained why Elric was there by saying he was a gift/bodyguard and was there to work as his servant.

Luke apologized to Neo instead of the one he attacked like he would have, which was a notion that passed over the spirits head, as he was under the belief that as a guardian the attacker was supposed to apologize to the Master that the servant belonged to. It was a case of cultural difference and Neo was pretty sure he was the only one who got it.

*End of Flashback*

After the incident at camp Elric gave the folder to Neo and they had quickly left for California, Neo hoping they could avoid any more trouble and Elric loyally following his Master's orders.

After saving a man the day before Neo wasn't looking forward to today since it had started out so badly. The worst part was that he still had that bad feeling.

As they stepped off the sidewalk to cross the street Elric saw a car coming toward them, they were the only two crossing and the car tried to stop but it would have hit them if Elric hadn't grabbed his young Lord and quickly got them both out of the way.

Elric let Neo down on his feet and they both glanced at the two men who were getting out of the car.

Happy Hogun's heart was still pounding as he got out of the vehicle to see if the two men he had almost hit were alright. Tony got out of the other side of the car and they both walked to the men on the sidewalk.

"I'm so sorry, are you alright?" Happy asked.

Neo gave a blasé smile, "I'm fine, it's a good thing my new bodyguard is very good at his job," he laughed. It was actually funny because he really hadn't needed Elric's help but it did keep him from having to use magic in public. He thought it was ironic to be more worried about what would happen if he had tried to save himself than the fact he had almost been run over.

They stood there in silence which Happy felt was weird, since he knew his boss hated awkward silences. Happy looked over and noticed that the genius was standing there with a shocked look on his face.

Of course Tony was shocked he hadn't expected the emerald eyes and voice that had been haunting his dreams to show-up on an attractive male face and coming from a man his bodyguard had almost run over.

Tony Stark being the man he was, wasn't left speechless for long, "That's good because it would be a terrible thing to have a bodyguard that was bad at his job. I mean Happy here may occasionally try to run over strangers but he's still my go to guy."

"Gee, thanks Boss," Happy spoke in a melancholy tone.

"No, don't worry. Honestly, it is fine and I'm sure it was a mistake," he gave the older man a reassuring smile, "It's Happy, right?" He held out his hand and when the driver nodded Neo made the proper introductions, "I'm Neo Thorson and this is my butler and bodyguard Elric Graves."

Elric nodded, "Pleasure," he said in his deep silky tone.

"Likewise," Tony said with a raised eyebrow, "Is it a prerequisite for butlers to be so formal, because even my A.I. Jarvis sounds like that, but I designed and programmed him." Tony turned to Neo, "So where were you headed before you met me? Which should be the highlight of your day, really, meaning it's all downhill from here. Tony Stark, just call me Tony," Tony gave Neo a confident smile as they shook hands, and that was when Happy got the feeling his boss was flirting with the guy standing in front of him.

"Neo, and actually I wasn't really planning on going anywhere. Maybe just walk around the city and then grabbing something to eat before I find a hotel. I'm from New York…" Neo was cut off in the middle of his cover story by Tony.

"Well then, why don't I give you a ride? I have a quick press conference but after that I can take you out to lunch as an apology? How does a burger sound?" Tony offered. He didn't know why this guy was stuck in his head but he wouldn't let him leave after literally meeting "the man of his dreams".

"Uhm," Neo hesitated and looked at Elric.

Thinking he was helping Elric informed his Master, "There is nothing else planned for this morning. You are free to join Mr. Stark."

"So that's a yes?" Tony wheedled.

"Yes," Neo replied, as he admired Tony's charisma of a man who is so used to getting what he wants. It was also good to see that he was doing well considering the first time Neo met him the day before but there were shadows darkening his eyes. As expected Tony was suffering from his captivity, and Neo could see the front that Tony was putting up so he took down a mental note to break down that particular mask.

They were all in Tony's car with Happy and Elric in the front before Tony asked, "I can tell that you're from England. Are you just in California sightseeing?"

"Oh no, I recently moved to New York, but I had to come to the west coast for business. Though I won't be here for long I have to head back to New York soon, you see my Uncle and Cousins are coming to visit and I plan to travel back with them when they head home. I'll stay a little while at their place. It's a small vacation really, before I come back to the U.S. and see what I will do with the rest of my life."

"So I am guessing you moved? What brings you here? Family?" Tony asked hoping to get more information out of the younger man.

"Oh no. I've been living with a guardian since I was small and we've been traveling, but I turned 17 a little while ago and decided that I would take my inheritance and settle down for a few years hopefully." Neo replied.

"And you chose New York?"

Neo just smiled, "Someone suggested it." And he was starting to think that the reason he had to travel across the whole United States of America wasn't such a coincidence, Death was up to something.

Their conversation continued until Neo asked Tony what he did for work to afford a "fancy car and driver". Tony saw the honestly curious look on Neo's face and was surprised that someone actually didn't know him.

"Well I'm Tony Stark. Most people call me a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, and they seem to be impressed," he gloated.

"Well that does sound impressive, but what do I care about what other people think. If we're going to be friends Tony, I think you should now that I do not put my faith in what other people say. I was well know and a little bit of a celebrity while I was living in London, and the only things popular opinion taught me, were people give their opinions on things they know nothing about while most of the time news papers say whatever they have to, to sell issues. I didn't ask what other people say about you, I asked you about what you do." The smile that spread across Neo's face made Tony falter for a moment, it was teasing and sarcastic and completely genuine. At that second Tony promised himself that if his attitude didn't scare Neo off, he would keep the other around.

"I used to work on designing weapons for my company," Neo noticed the tone of Tony's voice change.

"Used to?" he questioned.

"I'm thinking about changing things, it will probably have the board members jumping ship but I'm not going to back down. That's part of the reason for the press conference."

"Hmm…well I don't know too much about it, but if your company starts loosing investors I know what I'll be investing in," Neo glanced at the front passenger seat, "My guardian did express her wishes for me to invest my money, right Elric?"

"Yes, my Lord," the white haired man replied.

Tony looked surprised, "You don't need to do that I'm sure I'll be able to pick the company back up with some of the projects I can come up with."

"I know that. I just want to stick it to them by buying up the stock they will be selling cheep and then watch as you make my investment triple later. I'm a little vindictive when it comes to dealing with disloyal people, and the fact that I will never sell those shares back makes me happy inside." Neo gave his imitation of the grin he learned from Magnum, it was almost scary with how vicious it seemed.

"That's a lot of faith from someone who doesn't know me," Tony said questioningly.

"I'm a good judge of character, and that's because it doesn't take me long to understand people. So far I know that you are a different man from who you were before, and right now you're trying to figure out whom that new man you saw in the mirror this morning is. I may not know you and you may need some time to know yourself, but there's nothing about you that tells me I can't trust you, and until I feel otherwise I won't be changing my mind."

Tony was speechless for a minute before the car came to a stop outside of the building Tony's press conference would be held in. They all got out of the car and walked inside.

Neo and Elric were introduced to Ms. Pepper Potts before the conference began, and stood near her waiting for Tony to give his speech.

That's how they met one Agent Phil Coulson with the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division. It seemed that the agent was hoping to "debrief" Tony on how he escaped, which Neo understood as them asking questions that seemingly had no relevance and then putting it in a file that would hopefully never see the light of day again. It was the reason Neo really did not like governments, most of the time a governments priorities were not the things he would spend time focusing on. Instead of worrying about how Tony escaped, they should be wondering how Tony was caught. Usually a countries military would be prepared for an attack on foreign soil so how did the ambush happen in the first place? Neo knew something was wrong but he didn't have any information, yet. But the agent left quickly and the conference started.

There was so much that Tony hadn't said, Neo knew, and it looked like there were even more things he had been carrying with him about his father. The end of Tony's speech wasn't a surprise to Neo because Tony had mentioned it before. Still Neo turned to Elric, "Are you familiar with the stock market of this world?"

"Yes, my Lord. I have been to this world before and I have learned everything I would need to in order to serve my Master. I assume you would like me to start buying those shares?" he informed Neo.

"Yes, all the shares that come available. Tony will need someone to help keep his Company financially stable and as much as Mr. Stane seems willing to run interference, I think it would be best to lend a hand. Once you have bought all available stock I would like you to arrange for any stock owned by parties who are only concerned with the future of the company due to their own financial gain, to be bought as well."

Elric gave a small bow and left. He seemed to disappear in the crowd and reached the bank that they had left earlier in the next second. By the time he left Neo would have a 39% investment in Stark Enterprises. The other 61% belonging mostly to Tony and 10% of that to Obadiah Stane, which eliminated the board members from the equation and would drive Obadiah crazy trying to get into contact with the man who had bought the rest of the company shares.

A couple of seconds after Elric left Neo, Tony had taken Neo back to the car through the chaos of the reporters. They sat in silence for a second before Tony turned to Neo.

"So about that burger?"

Neo laughed, "Sounds good, but you're buying, alright?"

"You got it. Happy we're going to make a stop on the way back to the house," Tony announced and Happy just nodded and kept an eye out for a drive-thru burger joint.

"Oh but, I would hate to impose and I would need to find a place to stay before it gets too late," Neo tried to excuse himself but Tony wasn't worried.

"Then I guess you and your bodyguard will just have to stay at my place," he grinned. "I think that it's the least I can do for what happened before. Right, Hap?"

The man in the driver seat just nodded, "Whatever you say, Boss?"

 ***Break***

They had been at Tony's home, which was on a cliff to Neo's surprise, for an hour before Elric showed up. Neo had felt bad that Elric hadn't eaten yet but his servant just dismissed it with his usual charm and humility and went to the kitchen to get something from the fridge. Neo could hear Elric talking to who he thought must be Jarvis; Neo was introduced to the A.I. when they arrived. It was a lovely home and Tony quickly decided that he would show his wide-eyed guest the rest of it. They had gone up to the floors above the ground floor before making their way to the basement.

When they entered Tony's workshop Neo was having the time of his life. It was so surprising to see the things Tony had made for his home and when he saw all of the inventions lying around on the work tables it was like walking into the genius' head. There were fascinating and interesting gadgets and Tony was wearing a smug look as Neo marveled at everything.

Neo laughed in childish joy when he bumped into a small machine that turned out to be a cute little robot who made mechanical noises like it was talking. It seemed that the robot was just as curious about Neo, when it started using its metal arm to prod gently at his arms and it raised its camera high enough to see Neo's face and then it got close enough that Neo had to move back before he got hit on the noise by accident.

"Would you stop that," Tony chided. The small robot made an unhappy noise but it soon turned into happy noises as it did the same thing to Tony which had Neo laughing again.

"I think he's cute and he reminds me of a friend, his name was Dobby," Neo said.

"Yeah, well this is Dummy and he takes after his namesake."

"What a coincidence, their names almost sound the same," Neo smiled as he looked over to Tony. The spark of happiness in his eyes and his flushed cheeks made Tony smile. "Did you make him?"

"Yeah I made him when I was a kid. I should have scraped him a long time ago but I keep him around." Tony walked over to his computers and started pulling up different information. Tony hadn't told him to leave but Neo decided to say, "I can leave if you're busy, or stay and help if you need an extra set of hands?"

"Not right now, I'm only in the designing stages so I have a lot of data to put into the computer, but you don't have to go." Tony walked away from the computers and up to Neo, "Excuse me," he said while reaching for a tablet that he had left on a bench that the younger man was standing in front of. Neo didn't have time to move and Tony's chest brushed against his arm. An electric shock hit the metal ring in Tony's chest and they both jumped.

"Sorry," Neo said, "I must have built up some static, I guess?"

Tony cleared his throat, "Yeah."

"It looks like it's a little crowded for two," Neo licked his lips and Tony glanced at the now shining lips. "I'll just get out of your way I'm sure I can find something to do up stairs." Neo said and quickly retreated out of the room before Tony could stop him. The genius was conflicted between his need to start work and the want to follow after the younger man. Tony finally decided that he would work now and play later, which was unusual for him.

Neo set his foot down on the 1st floor and pulled out his phone deciding that he would text Loki who was the only other number programmed into his phone besides Hermes.

*I won't be able to make it back tonight, don't wait up. – N*

*Why? Nothing's wrong I trust? – L*

*Not, yet. – N*

*I just told the others the distressing news. They have expressed how terribly they will miss sleeping with you :) – L*

*That sounds so wrong and you said it on purpose! – N*

*I am a god of Mischief and Chaos, it's in my nature. Be safe and call if you need anything. – L*

*I will, see you when I get back. – N*

With Loki's accepting attitude and the way he tended to let Neo do his own thing it was easy for them to get along. But he also had to send a message to Remus who would tell Sirius, Chiron, Luke and Percy. He told Jarvis he was taking a quick walk outside to look around and he would be back, while he was out he sent the message that would reach them in a few minutes. His phone buzzed a little later and he looked to see a new message.

*Hey, bro. I guess I forgot to give you my number. Remus just told me you would be gone for awhile. It wouldn't have anything to do with a girl, would it? ;) Don't worry you don't have to tell me, just have a good time and stay safe. I'll see you later. – Luke*

Neo just rolled his eyes and sent a message back,

*No, sorry for bursting your bubble but I just got caught up in something. I'll be fine so I'll see you when I make it back. – N*

He programmed Luke's number into his phone bringing the total number of contacts to a whopping three. He felt kind of cynical about it when he realized that three was the most he had ever had.

Neo walked back inside and into the kitchen to find Elric. It seemed that the resourceful Spirit had found the supplies to make tea. A plate of cinnamon cookies that must have come out of a box sat on the table, and actually complimented the ginger and chamomile tea that Elric had given Neo. All of those ingredients insured whoever enjoyed them would feel very comfortable, and probably fall asleep.

"Should I take some to Mr. Stark, sir?" Elric asked indifferently, which was a dead giveaway of his intentions; it seemed that Elric was a mother hen.

The thought made him smile and Neo was going to reply when he was interrupted by the front door opening. He went to check the entrance through the kitchen door and found Obadiah Stane walking in with a pizza box. Jarvis must have told Tony that Obadiah was there, because the genius came upstairs a few minutes later. The two long time friends started having a chat.

It was difficult not to hear what they were saying and after a few minutes Neo didn't care, he started listening intently as Obadiah questioned Tony about his escape and the machine that he had built. Obadiah tried to get Tony to share his research but the younger refused.

Even if he had been intentionally eavesdropping on the conversation, Neo was very relieved when Obadiah left. It was one thing to meet someone who gives off bad vibes, but it's a whole different story when you meet someone that makes you want to leave the country. It was almost as bad as the first time he met Luke while he was being possessed.

With Obadiah gone Tony headed back to the lab, something was up and it made him wonder what his dad's old partner was up to. He had just started working on the specs for the original suit he built in the desert again, when he heard Jarvis.

"Sir, I believe you have a visitor."

Turning, Tony saw Neo and Elric standing behind him. The latter was carrying a tray with a steaming cup and what looked like the cookies Pepper usually bought and stashed in Tony's kitchen. Elric held out the cup and Tony thinking it was coffee accepted it and took a sip. He had to stop himself from spitting it back out, he had not been expecting tea.

A mischievous grin slowly spread across Neo's face as he watched Tony's eyes widen. Tony was an American and Neo knew that most of them drank coffee because they ran on caffeine and couldn't appreciate a good cup of tea. Tony saw his face and gave a mild glare, causing Neo to laugh.

"It's just a little snack before you go to bed, Anthony. You don't need coffee at this time of night," Neo informed his somewhat surly companion.

"I'm pretty sure the last time I checked, I was an adult so I know when my bedtime is, thanks. And I'm pretty sure that I've pulled more all nighters than you. I know what I'm doing." Tony said before he got a curious look on his face when he noticed something Neo had said. "I never told you my name was Anthony. I try not to mention that to people because I prefer Tony."

"That would be my doing. Earlier I informed, my Lord, of what I had found out about you. Among the things I mentioned, was the fact your name is Anthony Edward Stark. After all, you did express that you where well known and I thought that some factual information should be shared now to get it out of the way later." His voice had remained the same and even Tony's high tech security hadn't called Elric out on his blatant lie.

"Yeah, but someone also said that he didn't care what other people thought," Tony turned to Neo.

The new god just rolled his eyes, "I don't care for gossip, but I'm sorry if you're angry, Tony. I just wanted to know you a little better," Neo said while pointedly looking away from Tony.

'Ugh, you did it again, real smooth Tony,' the billionaire scolded himself. He didn't know what to say so he went with, "I don't think Pepper will be happy when she sees her snacks are gone."

Neo laughed then turned and walked to the door, "I'll be sure to get her some more than, oh and Tony…you're welcome."

Two hours later, Neo felt he had been nice to let Tony work this long. He could tell that Tony was very willing to pull an "all-nighter" and it was up to Neo to make sure he got some sleep. It was ironic that, being younger than most of the people he knew, Neo was the most put together.

"Jarvis, is Tony still awake?"

"Yes, Mr. Stark is still in his workshop. Is there something I can help you with?" the A.I. voiced in his usual polite tone.

"No, on the contrary Jarvis, I'm helping you. At this rate you and Tony will be working all night and he will lose sleep, so I'm going to go down and make sure he goes to bed. Could you make sure everything gets saved and shut down?" Neo said while walking down the stairs and Jarvis gave an affirmative to his request as the glass door to Tony's workshop opened automatically.

Watching the eccentric genius imputing data Neo smiled. Most of what Tony was doing was going over his head, but he could see a partially finished 3D model of the original suit of armor being pieced together by the bits of information. Loud rock music was vibrating through the sound system Tony had installed. Tony seemed to party as hard as he worked, and he was passionate about his inventions. Neo was reminded of Fred and George as he watched the quick hands of the older man glide across the keyboard.

"Jarvis turn the music down, please?" he practically had to yell over the music but it was quickly gone. Neo sighed in relief because his sensitive ears no longer had to take the abuse.

Tony stopped his work and looked around until he noticed Neo standing there with a smug smirk that screamed, 'your A.I. listens to me, so haha'. "I was listening to that, and I don't like it when people mess with my stuff. Jarvis turn the music back on!"

"No, Jarvis. Tony you need to get some sleep. I know you've had a long day because I was around for some of it, so just take a break. Everything will be here in the morning, and when you wake up you'll be ready with even more brilliant ideas and won't be so tired. Come on," Neo said then nodded to the door indicating that he wanted Tony to leave first.

"The offer does sound tempting but I've got it handled."

Neo sighed in annoyance this time, "Fine, I didn't want to have to resort to this, but I don't know what else to do," he walked over to the inventor, and before Tony could stop him Neo had hoisted the man out of his chair then carried him out of the room and up the stairs.

Tony shouted in surprise but was quick to demand the he be put down.

As they passed the living room where Elric had been cleaning, said Butler dropped the polishing rag and stepped behind his Master to follow up the second flight of stairs leading to the bedrooms. "Should I help you, Master?"

Neo thought about it, "Yes, start a shower for Mr. Stark and, if you must, make sure he washes up. I'll make some tea and a light sandwich, hopefully that will make sure he doesn't wake up hungry. Once Tony is out of the shower he needs to get ready for bed, again I am giving you permission to make sure he does so."

"Right away, my Lord," Elric assured as he moved passed them in the hallway to make it to Tony's room first. He left the door open and Neo walked into the bedroom seconds after but he could already hear the water running.

"Look, I appreciate the concern and all, but I'm done playing around," Tony said his breathing had gotten a little faster and Neo realized before the billionaire that Tony was having a mild panic attack.

Neo set Tony on his feet and looked him in the eyes. "Just breathe with me Tony, deep breaths," Neo started to exaggerate the movement of his shoulders and breathed louder so Tony could see and hear his breathes, after a minute it had worked and Tony was back to breathing normally.

Neo made sure that when he spoke his voice was calm and gentle, "I understand what it's like, I may not know the details but I can tell. You grew up learning to do things on your own, and even though there were people around you, many of them never bothered to make sure you were alright. The people around you seem to think that you don't need advice or help, but that's not true is it. You've learned to be independent but you really never learned how to take care of yourself properly. You worked hard and it became normal to work until it was done, no exceptions, even if you didn't sleep, eat or drink for days. And now, everyone around you keeps demanding more from you, they add stress with their demands and harp on you to get the job done while being who they want you to be, but when you're not acting or doing what they expect they abandon you and curse you.

"But there are people who are completely different and will stick by you to help you. Those people may be few but they genuinely care. It's easy to keep those people at arm's length too, and just like others you're afraid to let them in because you worry that they will abandon you in the end. It's hard for you to accept help. I know how that feels, and it took awhile for me to open up too. But I need you to trust me, Tony, I'm not here to hurt you and as long as you'll accept it I will be here to help."

Tony was speechless and a little uneasy. This kid he had just met had nailed most of his bad traits in one go but he hadn't listed them as reasons to hate Tony, just as facts. While glossing over the fact that Tony's family had been less than great, the genius had felt that the younger wasn't just talking about him, and then Tony understood. Like the saying goes, 'it takes one, to know one'.

"Yeah, well I don't need a nanny so you can ease up on the orders. Unless you're really aiming for something else, then I would be happy to let you help me in the shower," Tony said letting his usual flirty manner shine through.

Neo rolled his eyes, "Just get in the bloody shower you incorrigible show pony," the words may have been harsh but his playful tone and smile told Tony that Neo was just teasing.

"Alright, but it's your lose," Tony said to Neo's back as he left.

Neo walked back in a little while later with a sandwiches and tea for three. The thought that Tony's house was riddled with cameras had stopped him from using magic but he had become an expert at quickly preparing food since he was a child, so he didn't take long. Tony was still in the shower. Neo set the tray with the food down before he peeked in. He saw Elric facing toward the door as their eyes met and Neo could have sworn Elric was giving him a pleading look.

The water shut off and Elric stiffened before he said, "Do you require help Mr. Stark? It has only been four minutes." Neo snickered.

"All I needed was four minutes," Tony said from the other side of the frosted glass.

"I would question the truth of that less if I had not seen the state you were in before getting in Mr. Stark, but I suppose I could check if I must," Elric had reached for the shower door handle and was opening it slowly and deliberately.

"Only if you promise to be gentle," Tony joked before he caught the movement of the door and quickly grabbed it and shut it closed, "On second thought, I think I'll just take some time to double check."

The shower turned on again, "I'm sure the only reason we're having this conversation is because you like my bathroom and need an excuse to stay. You know I could have the other ones remodeled if that would make you feel better?"

"Oh yes, it's terribly fascinating, especially with its white walls and the company is so delightful. How could I ever depart such an amazing place?" sarcasm dripped from Elric's words. The white haired man then turned to his young Master, and they had matching sparks of mirth in their eyes.

It was only another six minutes until the water turned off again but it seemed to appease the Guardian Spirit, who didn't say anything this time.

Tony stepped out of the shower and noticed Neo, he gulped, it was new for him to feel self-conscious but he had a giant hole in his chest and scares he really didn't want to think about. The young man didn't stare though, and seemed more concerned with the chain hanging from the leather band around his own right wrist. So the billionaire quickly got dressed.

Neo of course didn't stare because he had already seen it, but his thoughts as he looked down started to actually distract him as Tony got his clothes on. The chain that had wrapped itself around his wrist along with the ancient sword was still a puzzle. Why had they suddenly shrunk and attached themselves to Marvápn? Why did the chain seem to have a psychic connection to him? Neo had been puzzled and awed when it had suddenly responded to his subconscious wish, but he still hadn't figured out how and it was something that had been on his mind more frequently.

A comfortable silence fell as Elric left them to finish what he had started down stairs and whatever else the Spirit occupied his time with. They sat and ate for a while and a casual conversation started. It was almost half an hour before Neo realized he wasn't helping Tony get any sleep by keeping him awake.

"I think I'll do a bit of reading before I go to bed, night," Neo commented as he started to rise from his seat.

"You don't have to leave on my account," Tony joked, "besides you're already sitting down," he pointed out the chair Neo was sitting on that was in front of a matching desk.

It was more than that, Neo understood, so he decided he would indulge this hidden request.

"Thanks, mate," Neo said, and then asked Jarvis to call for Elric so he would bring up the book Neo had left on the kitchen counter. Elric left again, which let Tony and Neo talk for a while but it wasn't long before they were yawning, and it was only a minute later that the god and inventor were asleep.

He had been resting peacefully across Tony's desk until something woke him up, that's when Neo turned to find Tony tossing fitfully. Even if he was still half-asleep, Neo knew better than to shake him awake.

"Tony," Neo said, just above a whisper, "Hey Tony, wake up."

It worked and Tony woke with a start and sat up.

"Deep breathes," he said tiredly. When he heard the man's breathing steady Neo asked, "Nightmares?"

"How…"

"Do you want to know what I did, when I used to have nightmares every night?" he paused for a few seconds, "I embraced it. You have to feel it, understand it, and then you accept it and move on. But don't hide it. You're going to carry your memories and fears with you for the rest of your life. If you try to bury them they just get worse, festering like a wound. Then they come back with a vengeance at the worst times usually as panic attacks or hallucinations. So don't fight them. It's okay to be afraid, fear is natural, but you can't let that fear rule you. Everyone gets nightmares you just can't be afraid of going back to sleep."

Tony just rubbed his face and said, "It sounds like you have a death wish. Not many people would say they embrace fear."

"Oh no, don't get me wrong, I'm afraid of Death and it's a healthy fear, so a little word of advice, don't call Death a liar," Neo smirked at Tony's puzzled look, "But we both know that there are worse things to fear than death, like never-ending pain. There are monsters out there that will cause as much pain as they can to someone, before that person eventually dies one way or another. It happens and you can be afraid of it, like someone can fear drowning, falling, flying in an airplane, getting hit by a car, or just walking out of their house. The fact is people go to the beach or swim in a pool, they go skydiving or jump off a swing, and thousands of cars and planes transport people across the world every day and all of those people have to build up the courage to walk out their front door in the morning. In the end those people face their fears and are better for it. There will always be two kinds of fears, good fear and bad fear. Bad fear can stop you from rational thought, and most of the time it will get you killed. But good fear makes you more cautious and protects you from danger, because it's our self-preservation instinct and makes us both smarter and stronger. Tony, that," he says pointing at the glowing circle in the other mans chest, "proves you are strong. That says you are strong enough to not let death stand in your way, and strong enough to not let your fears make your decisions for you."

Neo sighed and started to leave, "Sure, I could say something like 'it will get better' and 'time heals all wounds', or I could try and tell you how to get over it. But that's up to you, you have to choose what you're going to do...So, what are you going to do Tony?" he said just before he left the room.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Percy had been hoping to see Neo and ask him to spar since he woke-up, but he hadn't seen the other camper yet. Luke had spotted Percy waiting around after his last practice session and walked over. Annabeth seeing her crush headed over to the Son of Poseidon also went to join the boy.

"Hey, Perce, what's up?" Luke asked when he got close enough to not have to yell. He smiled at Annabeth when she joined them.

"Huh," Percy said turning to the Son of Hermes, "Oh, hey Luke. Have you seen Neo?"

Luke shook his head, "Not since he left this morning. I did get a message after lunch that he would be gone for the rest of the day. Why?"

"Nothing really, I was just going to ask him to spar with me," the younger boy admitted with a shrug.

Luke knew he had some spare time, but when Luke was about to ask Percy if he wanted to spar together he was interrupted.

"You should be careful Percy," Annabeth cautioned, "Neo's dangerous."

Luke felt insulted by Annabeth's comment on his brother's behalf. "What's that supposed to mean?" he bit out the question angrily.

Annabeth flinched at Luke's tone and quickly realized what she had just said in front of Neo's brother. "I'm just saying that he may be a Son of Hermes, but he's also a Son of Hecate. She's a powerful goddess, _a Titan_ , and she's dangerous. Not to mention he was claimed by Thor. I may not know him very well, but that makes Neo dangerous. He has Thor's strength, Hermes' cunning, and Hecate's magic."

Luke's jaw was stiff and his eyes burned with anger as he glared at the girl he thought was 'smart', apparently she lost a few brain cells on her last quest. "You're right, Annabeth, you don't know Neo. It doesn't always matter who someone's Father or Mother is, everyone makes their own decisions. You should know by now that demigods might get their powers from their godly parent but they are the ones who choose how to use them. Neo may be the Son of Hecate and Thor but he has never hurt anyone who didn't attack him first and he only fought back in self-defense. I'm sick of the way everyone here is treating him, and sometimes I wish he would just knockout the people who keep talking behind his back. Especially since everyone here owes him their lives, or have you forgotten the fact that he saved this Camp from a War of the gods, and does the fact that he saved me mean nothing to you?"

"Of course I'm happy that you're safe Luke. If I had realized what was going on I would have tried to help you long before Neo even came to Camp." Annabeth said, using her last statement as a flimsy excuse to get back on Luke's good side, but he wasn't accepting it.

"Yeah, but you didn't. In fact, you never noticed a thing. Neo was the first one to figure out something was wrong. That just shows that he's smarter than the people here. Maybe that's why you're so afraid of what he _could_ do, because he's obviously better than the rest of us. I'm proud to have a brother like him, and I know that the other Sons of Hermes don't feel the same. But if I had to choose who I would go into battle with and die beside, I would choose him every time because he's obviously braver than most. He didn't wait around for a quest, when he saw something was wrong he left to fix it. He found the real Master Bolt and stopped Kronos from getting it. Then he saved you, Percy and Grover from the Lotus eater's trap. And the way I hear it it's thanks to Neo and his friends that Percy's Mom is safe and you were able to make it back to Olympus on time. Is this the kind of gratitude you give your rescuer? I'm not a Son of Apollo but even I can see your future's not looking too good right now, because when people find out that this is the thanks they get for saving you, most of them won't even try next time. But do you know what the worst thing is? I may not know Neo all that well but I do know, even with the way campers are acting towards him right now, Neo wouldn't hesitate to save everyone again because he's a hero and that's what heroes do." Luke had gotten into Annabeth's face and watched as his stinging words started to make the younger girl cry.

Annabeth felt a mix of emotions but her pride reared its ugly head and the terrible humiliation she felt at Luke's words made her strike out at him.

Luke grabbed Annabeth's hand as it came up to slap his face. They stared at each other as Annabeth tried to wrench her wrist out of his grasp. He watched as she clenched her jaw and her grey eyes turned steely. It was clear that she wouldn't listen to him and right now he really didn't want to bother with her. When Luke let go Annabeth ran away.

Watching as Luke's shoulders sagged and he let out a world weary sigh, Percy knew the other demigod was upset with the Daughter of Athena, but he also knew that everything Luke said was true and Annabeth would have to acknowledge the truth sooner or later.

"Uh, I'm just going to head back to my cabin, see you later Luke," he started to walk away but Luke spoke and Percy turned to him.

"Hey, Percy?" Luke questioned.

"Yeah," Percy replied.

"How do you feel about paying Neo a surprise visit?"

The Son of Poseidon's brow furrowed in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Luke let out another sigh, "To be honest?" he pause to think, "Things are getting a little too stale around here for me. I just want to get out of here for a while, so I'm inviting you along on a trip that may be dangerous, because what isn't dangerous in the lives of demigods, but it will definitely be better than hanging around here for summer vacation."

Percy looked at Luke's face as a mischievous smirk appeared. The offer actually sounded good and Percy quickly made up his mind, "Sure, but if Chiron catches us, I'm telling him it was all your idea."

"What about your fuzzy friend, Grover?"

"He's having too much fun right now and I don't want to put him through another life threatening experiences so soon." Percy said thinking about the poor Satyr who had been hanging around the daughters of Aphrodite lately.

Luke snickered he had seen the Satyr hanging out with the girls too. "Yeah sure, come on; let's go talk to Remus and Sirius."

They traveled up to the big house and met up with Neo's Uncles. When Luke told the two wizards about wanting to join Neo wherever he was, they agreed that they too felt like taking a break from the camp. They brought this up to Chiron who had returned and he decided that he would let them go. "I am a teacher, but sometimes it is the World that a student must learn from," he had told them, and then made them pack all of their weapons and swear to be careful. They had all of the things they packed ready and where walking out of the stone arch to Camp when they came across Loki and his sons. They had all met in the last three days and Sirius and Loki had made quick friends with both of them sharing a love for pranks. In the end Loki was able to convince them to wait until the next morning and they would all leave early after Remus packed up Neo's tent to take to him.

Loki went to sleep that night with a grin on his lips. The god of Chaos couldn't wait to get out of there; he may love the quiet times where he got to read but even with his trips to spy on Amora he was getting restless. He may not be exactly like his brother but Loki always enjoyed a good trip, especially when it had the promise of being interesting and Neo suddenly finding a reason to stay on the other side of the continent sounded very interesting.

 ***Break***

The morning after arriving in Malibu, Neo woke up early like usual. After taking a shower and getting ready for the day, he headed to the kitchen and passed by Tony's room on the way. He peeked in to check on the billionaire and found him asleep. Neo couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face as he kept walking down the hall.

Neo hadn't thought that Tony's house had been a mess the first time he saw it, but when he noticed how much cleaner the living room and kitchen were that morning he was surprised. The living room looked like it was brand new and every surface in the kitchen sparkled. His jaw went slack and his mouth started to water as he looked at the amazing picture perfect food that sat on the kitchen table and smelled the aromatic bouquet of tantalizing scents that drifted off of the steaming food. Perfectly cooked eggs, sausage, crepes, omelets, French and stuffed toasts, pancakes and other food that were perfectly seasoned and topped with fruits and handmade syrup weighed down Tony's kitchen table.

Elric walked around the marble island in the middle of the room and brought Neo a cup of tea. His perfectly pressed suit was as impeccable as always. "Young Master, I did not know what you would prefer for breakfast so I asked the A.I. Jarvis for recipes that would include the ingredients already in the kitchen. Please, tell me if there is anything else I could get you."

Neo glance back at the five star foods, "No everything looks amazing, but I don't know if we can eat it all."

"I'm definitely keeping you around now," Tony's voice came from the kitchen door, "With food like that I may have an excuse to stop working and eat." The billionaire shuffled tiredly into the kitchen, and taking a strawberry off of the top of a plate of pancakes Tony popping it in his mouth.

The young god laughed and joked, "That sounds like high praise Elric."

The Spirit nodded politely, "Thank you Mr. Stark. Would you prefer coffee or tea this morning, and how do you take it?"

"Triple shot espresso, black," Tony said absentmindedly as he chose what he would eat for breakfast. He finally decided on a traditional California breakfast of fruit and a veggie omelet, and sat down to eat.

Watching as Tony latched onto the cup full of black liquid, Neo just shook his head and teased the slowly waking billionaire, "You poor man, yanks like you can't function without coffee, but with the way it looks it can't be good for you."

"No, it's not but what else can I do?" Tony mumbled and gave his coffee a contemplative look.

"Hmm…" Neo pretended to search his pockets as he summoned a vial of Pepper-Up from his locket. "Ah-hah! Here, try this it should get you going before you know it."

It seemed that Tony wasn't in a mood to question it, and in an uncharacteristic act he accepted the vial pulled the stopper and drank it quickly. Just as the taste of cinnamon touched his tongue, Tony was surprised that he was already starting to feel more alert.

Tony was fully awake when the doorbell gave a buzz and Jarvis announced that a group was waiting at the door. He made the usual assumption when he heard it was a group, "Reporters? I thought I told you not to allow them up the driveway, Jarvis."

"Yes sir, you did, but these men said they are Mr. Thorson's family," the A.I.'s mechanical voice sounded slightly insulted by what Tony said.

Neo perked up, "Who is it, Jarvis?"

"I was told that Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin and Mr. Odinson are here with your cousins, a brother and a friend you made at camp. Should I allow them in, sir?" The robot questioned his creator.

"Uh, I'm not sure…" Neo started to say.

"Sure, Jarvis let's meet them."

Neo just ran, he couldn't think of anything but making sure the people at the door were exactly who they said they were, for Tony's sake more than his own. His magic preceded him and started to search for the energies of the people outside. When Neo felt the familiar magic of Sirius, Remus and Loki, and his senses took in the presence of the godly and beastly, Neo relaxed. It was his family standing outside.

Neo may have been happy to see them but he didn't immediately open the door when he got to it, after all this is Sirius and Loki we're talking about.

"Jarvis do you have any hologram technology that you can use to project someone's image?" Neo whispered.

Jarvis proved his knowledge of human responses when he quietly replied, "All of the equipment for a projection is in the workshop, Mr. Thorson. I cannot project an image in this hallway."

"Remind me to talk to Tony about that later. I'm going to use my own projector, just don't tell Tony, okay?"

Neo didn't wait for a response before he had reached into his pocket to fake touching a device while he cast an illusion. Then he walked to the door and the image followed. He opened the door and stepped to the side while the copy staid in front of the opening. As the door swung open Fenrir and a large black dog jumped at the image and fell right through it and onto the floor.

Fenrir turned when he heard someone laugh. A second Neo stood to the side and the first one seemed to disappear. The wolf god pouted, "That's not cool, you shouldn't trick people like that."

Neo smiled, "Yes, because jumping on people is so much nicer." He walked up to the two and flicked them both on the forehead, "Bad boys, no jumping," he teased in a tone reserved for reprimanding a misbehaving pet.

Of course Fenrir and Sirius didn't listen and they sprung up from the ground and latched onto Neo. The young god rolled his eyes and looked over at the rest of his family.

"Tony said to come on in," Neo told them.

Loki walked in like the royal prince he was. Remus smiled and gave Neo a pat on the shoulder before reaching down and dragging Sirius into the house, the dog animagus began to whine. Luke greeted him as he followed the others. Jormungandr was standing next to Percy and they both seemed to hesitate at the door.

"Well, come on you two," Neo smiled at them and they both smiled back.

"Thanks," Percy spoke as he entered.

Jormungandr pursed his lips before his tongue came out to wet them, and his ice-blue eyes scanned the interior, "It smells like too much coffee and stale sex. I feel like I'm going to suffocate by just walking in there."

"It doesn't surprise me," Neo stated with a laugh, "but you can just sniff something that smells better when the scent gets to be too much."

Jormungandr gave a predatory grin as he quickly stepped forward, and buried his nose in Neo's hair while he wrapped both arms around Neo in a constrictive hug. The serpent god had to work his arms in between the younger god and his brother. Fenrir growled when his cuddling was interrupted by his older brother, and tightened his grip around Neo as he clung to the others side.

Jormungandr inhaled deeply, "Hmm, I guess that could work," he said as he let go of Neo, which finally allowed the younger god to breath, and grabbed both younger gods and lifted them over his shoulder. "Come on you two," he said repeating Neo's earlier words.

Neo couldn't help it, he was laughing all the way down the hall and into the large kitchen. It was good to finally have a family he could have fun with even if they were a bit strange, but what family wasn't?

Introductions had already begun and it was Jormungandr and Fenrir's turn to be introduced. Neo and Fenrir where put down on their feet before Jormungandr spoke, "I'm Jo and this is my brother Dolf. Sorry if he pees on the carpet, we're still working on house training him."

"Hey!" Fenrir shouted as he glared daggers at his older brother and continued to hug Neo. Fenrir then leaned over and whispered to Neo, "I am so rolling over on him in the middle of the night."

Tony and his guests had a chat over breakfast which was quickly finished by the group.

"So what are you all doing here?" Tony questioned.

"Yeah, I thought you were planning on meeting me in New York." Neo said trying to clue everyone in on the cover story, "Did you have to take another plane from New York after you arrived?"

"No it was mostly spur of the moment so we decided to call in a favor from my friend in New York. We arrived this morning." Loki replied with a growing smirk, "But I see why you stayed in Malibu. I know how much you like the West Coast."

Neo narrowed his eyes at his Uncle, though he had to blink when hair fell into his eyes. Neo had recently noticed that his hair was growing longer and he was planning on mentioning it to Luke so his demigod brother could help him cut it. His hair wasn't the only thing growing lately. Neo had thought that he was getting taller and when he compared himself with Jormungandr he could see that he was right. He also realized that he didn't look like a teenager anymore, as he looked at his face in the mirror that morning he could have passed for mid-twenties.

Before he left the kitchen Tony had invited everyone to stay as long as they wanted, then he left for his workshop. That day after breakfast Neo took the time to show them around the house. Elric fell into a routine of acting like the world's greatest butler, while everyone else went about their own schedules. Loki still left after Lunch and was gone for almost four hours before he came back. Jormungandr, Fenrir, Luke, Percy, Remus and Sirius all decided to drag Neo down to the beach and Elric followed after his master. When Loki came back he joined them, and everyone enjoyed the sunny day and salty sea air. The serpent god and the young Son of Poseidon had a diving contest. Luke and Neo spent time with them out in the water. Fenrir had fun running through the surf. He would dig up hermit crabs then let them go before searched out another one. The poor wolf god let out a surprised yelp as he went to pull out a hermit crab but discovered it was a lobster. After that Fenrir left the shore and joined the others in the water. Remus stayed on shore and kept a close eye on everyone with Elric doing the same. Sirius had swam with everyone until he had gotten tired, then he walked back onto the shore and collapsed onto Remus' lap. Sirius fell asleep as the other wizard ran his fingers through his fur. They all played until the sun started to go down and their stomachs began to grumble.

Sirius was walking next to Neo who looked down with a curious look, "Why are you a dog?"

"Since it would only be for today, Sirius decided it would be more fun as a dog," Remus replied.

Neo looked at the shape-shifter, "Who said it would only be for today?"

Remus blinked, "We thought you would be returning to camp this evening. You said that you would just stay the night."

"I never said that, besides I've got a gut feeling that something is about to happen. I think Tony's in danger and I promised Death that I would keep him alive, so until the coast is clear, I'm staying." Neo looked down at the black dog, "I wonder if Tony will like having a dog in the house? Looks like you'll have to get used to eating off the floor again, Padfoot."

Neo had to hide his smirk when the wizard in dog form started to whine. Remus chuckled and Sirius gave him a betrayed look.

Remus just shook his head, "Don't be so dramatic, Padfoot, it will be fine." When Sirius hung his head Remus pat his back in comfort.

"So what do you want us to do, Bro?" Luke asked.

"Stay, I'm not too sure what will happen but I could probably use the help later," Neo responded.

"What kind of feeling are you getting?" Jo questioned.

"I feel like there's a traitor hiding behind a curtain but I haven't been able to figure out whom. I'm just now starting to meet the people around Tony. It has to be someone close though, because the man only has close friends and he's always cautious about everyone else. I don't think it would be easy for a stranger or rival to fool Tony. I'm going to have to ask him some questions but he won't talk to the government, so it may be hard to get him to talk to me."

"No it won't," Percy said. Everyone glanced at him and his cheeks became a little pink as he explained what he meant, "You're someone that's really easy to talk to. It won't be hard for him to talk to you, because you don't judge people and you can usually relate. Or…at least that's how it is when I talk to you."

Luke saved Percy from the curious looks by swinging his arm around the younger boy and saying, "Percy's totally right, Bro. You're pretty easy to talk to, so you'll have no problem."

"Thanks," Neo smiled back at them.

They quickly made dinner after everyone had taken a shower. Thankfully Remus didn't have to give the "dog" a shower, because Sirius was able to change back into his human form and they both left the bathroom when they were done. Dinner was good, and Tony came up to join them when Neo threatened to carry him up the stairs again. The billionaire didn't complain though, the food was good and he enjoyed the company in his house.

The next day, everyone had stuck to the same schedule as the first. Neo was able to convince Tony to come with them to the beach for an hour after breakfast, but then the genius returned to his workshop until dinner. Pepper came by that evening. She only came to see how Tony was doing, but when she saw everyone she tried to throw them out thinking Tony was having a party that he shouldn't be having while he recuperated. Neo quickly explained everything to the irate secretary and took a minute to sit and talk to her while she watched the fallout from the press conference on TV. When Pepper received a call from Tony asking for help Neo walked with her down to the workshop. They entered and Tony asked Pepper to replace the device in his chest.

Neo watched as the woman left then turned to Tony, "She doesn't realize how much you trust her, does she?"

Tony just shrugged as he got off of the table, "I keep thinking "one of these days" she'll figure it out, but no, not yet."

"I know how hard it can be to trust people sometimes. She's lucky you chose her, even if she can't tell how you really feel about her," Neo said patting Dummy when he wheeled up.

"Pepper doesn't want to be with someone like me."

"Well, she just hasn't realized that you're not that person anymore. It's just a matter of her seeing the man you've become. She does care about you, but it's up to her to figure out how much," Neo explained. "Remember Tony, this is your turning point. You've change and you can feel it. From now on, the only one who can make decisions in your life is you. It's not about your parents, it's not about what other people expect from you, it's about what you expect from yourself. What kind of man do you want to be? It doesn't matter who the public wants, or the kind of man Pepper would want. You're capable of great things all on your own and if everyone else can't see it then that's there lose. Why do you fight? What drove you to come back? Why did you decide to stop making weapons? Every day I see you figure out the answers to those questions little by little, and the man I see you becoming is stronger than everyone wants him to be because they want to keep manipulating you. He's surer of himself and doesn't need others to tell him what to do. And when you find that man inside of you, you'll realize he has a heart of iron that loves strongly and can weather anything."

"Some people wouldn't put that much confidence in me," the other man said morosely.

"And I say you don't give yourself enough credit," Neo looked straight into Tony's eyes and watched the genius' reaction to his next words, "It's time to stop listening to other people who care more about themselves or the interests of others, than what's best for you. The only people, whose opinions truly matter, are the people you chose to listen to. So who do you chose, the people who you call friends or the people who think they know you without ever meeting the real you?"

"You make it sound so easy and in hindsight I guess it is, but what I chose isn't going to make a difference. There are still people out there that will say and do whatever they want with my name. I can't just stop the presses and expect everyone to stop talking about me. Once you're this famous, everyone wants a piece of you."

"What you want will always matter more! No one has a right to use you, and you can stop them." Neo said vehemently. "Jarvis!" he barked looking at the computers to his right.

"Yes, sir?" The A.I.'s usual greeting seemed a little more curious than normal.

"I've heard of the American laws that protect freedom of speech, but I also know that there are laws protecting celebrates and public icons from slander. I would like you to search all of the media feeds circulating the internet and television. Search for any information that has been falsified, or released into the public without proper consent. I know that a company like Stark Industries has a P.R. group and many Lawyers kept on retainer. I want everything you find sent to those Lawyers, and notify them that action should be taken immediately. The rampant lies that are being spread about Tony Stark and his company will be stopped. And every media news reporter who has been printing false information will be sued for libel. Be sure to inform everyone whose job it is to monitor S. I.'s public relations, and its team of Lawyers, that the lack of action so far will no longer be tolerated.

"Oh and on a final note, please be sure to inform all staff that since the previous share holders are no longer in charge of the Board, the company will be undergoing a revision process by Mr. Stark and his current share holders. Inform them that every division of Stark Industries will be looked into thoroughly and the company will be looking into every employee's performance, those who are not doing their jobs in a satisfactory manner will be let go before the beginning of next year. The company is heading in a new direction, and its employees should be prepared for that change. Anyone who is not doing their job or has a problem with the changes that are made will be asked to leave."

"I'm pretty sure you can't do that," Tony shot back with a smile; he was finding this situation amusing and a little touching.

"Recently I have become a share holder in a certain company, and I have an interest in the way that company is being run and its image that is being portrayed in the media. As C.E.O. of that company, isn't it your job to make me happy?" Neo said with a teasing smirk.

Tony laughed, "Weren't you just saying that I shouldn't let people boss me around?"

Neo gave a puzzled look, "I'm not doing this for me."

Tony paused for a moment and just looked at the young man in front of him, into those eyes that still haunted his dreams. A stranger, who he had met only two days ago, was showing more concern for his wellbeing than people he had known for years, "Do what he says Jarvis."

Jarvis replied quickly, "I have already started, sir. Estimated time of completion is ten hours. It will take most of that time to filter through both the internet and television. Stark Industries P.R. group and lawyers have already been contacted and I have begun to send copies of my results to them. An all staff email on upcoming performance reviews and changes has been sent out."

"Ten hours, are you running slow there, Jarvis?"

"No sir, I was merely calculating for human error and estimated work time," Jarvis sounded a little arrogant but you can't blame an A.I., who is used to working with a genius, for thinking other humans are slow.

"Well we can't expect everyone to be as awesome as me, right?" Tony laughed and winked at Neo.

The god turned around but stopped before he headed up the stairs. Neo had realized that Tony wasn't following him. When the billionaire reached for a tool he pulled back his hand with a stinging read mark on the back. Neo stood next to Tony with a stern look on his face.

"The only instrument that you will be picking up for now is the utensil you will need to eat with. It's time for dinner."

"Yes, mom," Tony joked.

Neo shoved his hands into his pockets and that was when he found something he had forgotten about. He pulled out the little figure of the metal suit that he had made in the desert. Neo decided he would sit it on Tony's desk as a surprise for him to find later. Unfortunately Neo would never realize what a mistake that was.

Dinner was very good, thanks to the skills of Elric and Neo who refused to let the butler cook that much food by himself. Neo had caught Elric giving him a curious look every once and awhile but the young god decided not to mention it. Since they first met Neo had gotten along with Elric. The servant's posh butler routine was interesting. Neo was surprised how Elric seems to have worked as a servant long enough for it to be natural. That didn't mean the Spirit had no sense of humor or fun. Elric had accidently, or not, gotten some of the gravy for dinner on Neo's nose so the younger retaliated by flicking the spoon he was using to stir the cake batter at Elric getting chocolate cake mix on his apron. It was a small food fight that Elric won as he held Neo to his chest and grabbed the spoon from him before he used it to cover Neo's cheeks. They smiled at each other, but before they got back to work Elric used his ungloved hand to swipe some of the batter off of Neo's face and then licked his finger clean. The young god went bright red as he looked back at what he was doing.

Everything was fine that evening until Obadiah came to talk to Tony. The bald man still made Neo's figurative hackles rise, and given the way the others watched Tony's old friend Neo wasn't the only one getting bad vibes. Obadiah thankfully didn't stay, but through their relief of having the man gone, no one noticed that he had walked out with something that wasn't his.

 ***Break***

Obadiah had been growing more and more furious lately. First, the assassination he had planned had gone wrong thanks to a bunch of terrorists who thought they could extort money from him. That problem had already been settled though. The Ten Rings had been eliminated thanks to a massive explosion that had killed everyone in their camp, which included all of the heads of the organization who were there to meet that day, so no one would know of his involvement in the kidnapping. Second, Tony comes back to the United States and stops production of Stark weapons which is the cash cow of Stark Industries. Third, some unknown party buys up every piece of S. I. stock that was not being held by Tony or Obadiah himself.

Of course, Obadiah had known that a bunch of ignorant extremists were no match for Tony's genius. That's why he had told them to kill the inventor. Then Tony mustered more resolve than Obadiah ever gave him credit for and managed to escape. Obadiah was curious how the boy had escaped. It seemed that Tony was still useful because whatever he had invented to get him out of the terrorist's camp might be very profitable when it was perfected. Obadiah had spent a lot of money to send people out in the desert and search for anything that would have helped Tony escape, because Tony hadn't brought anything back with him. The worst part was Tony must have had some forethought because the cave that he was working in had been set on fire and blown up. It wasn't clear if it was an accident or intentional but nothing had been found and Obadiah figured he would never find out, or he would have to wait for Tony to unveil his latest creation. But then he found something interesting just sitting on Tony's bench. It was made out of glass which was odd because the billionaire never kept ornaments on his desk. When the older man looked closer, he saw a scaled down model of a suit of armor, but this one was less medieval and had Tony's craftsmanship all over it. The flamethrower mounted on the arm was the most interesting piece. Obadiah had been in the business long enough to spot a weapon and this one was coming out of the arm of this little figure. Out of curiosity mostly, the old man had taken the object.

Returning to his research facility, Obadiah had told the researchers to analyze the figure, and he soon found out that it was his greatest discovery. The head researcher scanned the glass and found that it was surprisingly detailed and they could speculate the engineering necessary to create this model then enlarge it to make it a high-tech armored suit. Now Obadiah had the means to create his own weaponized metal suit and soon he wouldn't need Tony any more.

After Tony was out of the picture Obadiah would have to take care of that annoying pest who thought they could buy out the rest of the share holders. His plans to remove that particular annoyance where moved up from eventually, to soon, when he received an email. It stated that Tony and the current share holders would be evaluating the company in preparation to make changes, in order to shift focus and insure Stark Industries was no longer a weapons manufacturer. The fact that he had not been consulted on this did not escape Obadiah's notice. It seemed that Tony was starting to take initiative in the company, but he was making the mistake of not consulting him. This was something Obadiah would be sure to rectify in the near future. One good thing came out of this, he didn't have to listen to the Board members at the upcoming meeting but he still couldn't get into contact with the new member.

 ***Break***

Tony had requested that he be allowed to spend the day in his workshop after he got back from a visit to his friend in the Air Force. Neo had agreed that he should be allowed some time to himself and promised he would only show up when it was time to eat. The genius billionaire had moved from the design stages to fabrication, first the electronics and wiring, then systems checks and modifications. Tony spent all morning tinkering with the power relays and was moving on to the flight tests. That was when Neo walked in and almost had a heart attack. Tony had started up the repulsers but they had too much lift and he went flying toward the concrete ceiling. Thankfully Neo's godly reflexes gave him enough time for his magic to reach out and cushion the concrete and slow Tony's momentum to keep him from bashing his skull in. The air between the man and ceiling had also become denser protecting Tony.

Neo breathed a sigh when his new friend sat up. He rolled his eyes and sat the salad wraps and coffee he had brought on a work bench.

"Well that certainly was impressive. Tell me, are you inventing new ways of committing suicide? I have to admit it is different from making weapons but not by much," Neo said.

"No, I'm trying to make something that can save lives. So I would appreciate it if you sounded a little less sarcastic at this point in time," Tony said rubbing his chest. The impact may have been lessened but it had still hurt. "I'm just working out the kinks."

"Hmm, what is it with genius' and needing adult supervision," Neo mumbled as he remembered the times Hermione had done some very brilliant but extremely dangerous things. "And I would appreciate not being afraid that my new friend was going to die in a work related accident. That was incredibly dangerous. I'd feel more comfortable if you had someone else watching your back." Neo pointed out the small robot holding a slightly less than full fire extinguisher.

Tony gave a charming smile, "You don't have to make up reasons to hang out with me. I know I'm irresistible, just ask everyone who's gotten to spend "quality time" with me before."

"Yes I'm sure they would have loads to say on the subject, but was it really quality time? I think you would have to know someone pretty well to have any quality involved in the time you spend together. It's not what you do that makes being together special, it's who you're with. Don't sell yourself short Tony, because you are worth getting to know," Neo's eyes took on a faraway look as he thought about the few short relationships that had mattered, and how that blossoming love was taken away by the useless ideals of others. What say did other people have in his choice of who he loved? What right does anyone have to say that two people should not, or could not, love each other? The ignorance of people, who believe they can make decisions for others because they "think" they have a right to project their ideas onto another, will never cease to anger him.

Neo cleared his throat, "Sorry, I got side tracked. I brought you some lunch."

"Oh, aren't you sweet but I didn't get you anything."

The smile that they shared was comfortable.

Suddenly a thought, more like a gut feeling, popped into Tony's head, "Listen, I have something I need to tell you. Do you have a minute?"

Neo was surprised but nodded, "Sure, what is it?"

"I don't know why I'm telling you this, I just get this feeling that you'll understand. I don't know how you figured out what you already did, but I want you to know you're right. I'm not the same guy I was two weeks ago, and it's a big change. And every time I talk to you, you remind me of someone I met. He told me not to waste my life. Lately I've been sitting and thinking about those words and I'm not really sure that he was talking to the right person. He said I was getting a second chance at changing my legacy, "The last act of defiance from the great Tony Stark". I want to make sure that the Zero Accountability of this system changes, but I don't know where to start when I think about fixing the things I've done. Then you say something that completely changes my view and I feel more confident, like I'm one step closer to becoming this great man that he wanted me to be and the man that you see in me. When I get that feeling, the only thing that worries me is that I'll wind up doing something stupid like I usually do and then you'll just be disappointed in me like everyone else. I, uh-hum…" Tony had to stop talking for a moment.

Neo just stepped closer and wrapped the other man in a hug. Speaking quietly into Tony's ear Neo said, "You'll never disappoint me Tony. I know it sounds ridiculous but you won't. I only expect you to be you. Whatever you do, whoever you become, I know that you will always be Tony Stark and you will do what you think it right. Even if we choose different sides one day and have to call each other "enemy", I will know that you chose the side you believed is right and you will do what you're heart tells you to do. That doesn't mean I won't try to beat some sense into that thick skull of yours when that time comes," they both chuckled, "but you won't disappoint me, not as long as you make your own decisions and don't act like a puppet. As long as you are in charge of your own actions I will respect your choices. You could shoot me in the heart, and I still wouldn't be disappointed. I might feel betrayed but not disappointed. Because everything you just said reassures me that I know the man inside of you, and he is a great man."

"But how do I become that man?" Tony asked as he leaned into the supportive embrace.

"You just have to remember what you told me. You're building things to save lives. Saving lives means you stand up for and defend the weak, you stop everyone who would harm the innocent and do evil, and you stand by those who would stand by you," Neo loosened his grip and leaned back to look into Tony's eyes, "I know you can do that…I will always believe in you." After a second Neo decided to change the subject, "Now I've decided to help you or at least make sure you don't kill yourself. So what's next, and how can I help?"

They spent the next week working on Tony's new invention and quickly became best friends as they worked together. Neo marveled at Tony's genius and loved when the man explained things to him. He loved working with his hands and getting a crash course on engineering. And Tony was fascinated that the younger man was absorbing the information like a sponge even though he claimed he would never be as smart as Tony. Another thing Tony came to admire about the young man was how he actually enjoyed listening to Tony talk. When Tony was younger people were intimidated by how intelligent he was at such a young age, and now people are more interested in how much money he has than how smart he is. With Neo it was easier to talk to him because he didn't just sit around and watch he would try to help, but he never tried to tell Tony what he should do. And sometimes he would offer advice that was very useful, like when Neo suggested they move Tony's cars after he noticed that it would be bad to leave them so close to the testing area, something Tony had overlooked. Later when Tony's flight test would have brought him down on one of his favorite cars he decided to repay Neo by getting him one, just as soon as he found out the others favorite color. After all what is a gift without a few personal touches?

The night after the first test flight, Tony wanted to transfer Jarvis to the internal systems in the suit, so Neo sat in the living room reading. Neo had taken time to keep up with his training, and everyone had been using a warded training area on Tony's property. Of course training wasn't the only thing he was keeping up with. Neo had been reading some of the books Hecate had given him. But he wasn't just reading them; Neo was trying to find something that would explain the changes that had been occurring lately. The first thing he noticed was that his hair was growing long, dark brown almost black locks had grown out and where touching his shoulders. The second thing that made a significant difference was his height, he was only a little taller but it was noticeable. Then he started seeing the rapid growth that he was going through in his training. His magic had grown in leaps and bounds, his speed was incredible both on the ground and in the sky, and he was stronger than he ever dreamed of and it was easier to spar with Jormungandr.

As he walked into the room, Loki saw his young nephew studiously reading a magic book and his curiosity drove him to ask a question, "What troubles you this night? Or I believe the saying goes, "penny for your thoughts" but that makes it sound so cheap."

"I just feel like I'm growing too fast, is it normal for a god to age?" Neo wondered aloud.

"I told you before, gods age like humans at first but once they reach their prime they age much slower and years seem like days. Though that is usually the truth, in your case I admit that I'm not quite sure what is happening. I have noticed a change lately, and I believe it is due to the power you hold and the circumstances of your birth. Your power is still growing and quickly. Also remember that after the ritual to create your body Hecate cast a spell to age you so you would be strong enough to inherit your true power. It appears to be an effect of the spell, which leads me to believe that your body is trying to reach it's pentacle of perfection so it does not cause a strain on you as your powers grow. After I first saw the change I noticed that it is gradual and natural, I am sure that it will stop once you have fully developed into a body that is perfect and capable of containing your power. Most Asgardians and Olympians reach their prime when they reach the appearance of a mid-twenty to thirty year old. So it shouldn't take much longer now." Loki gave his shoulder a brief squeeze, "You will be a full-fledged god in no time."

"I'm not so sure that it is the spell that is still affecting me. I can feel the power that is flowing through me better than I ever did before, and I'm sure that there is no other magic but mine. Something is telling me that this is different somehow and it's not magic," Neo said hoping Loki would understand his confusion.

"Then perhaps it is something greater than magic?"

"But what is greater than magic?" Neo asked incredulously.

"Fate. It is one of the most powerful forces in the Universe, and it moves us all. Fate is the great Balance, because it decides when things must come to pass. That is not to say that we have no say in our fate. On the contrary, we are masters of our own fates and, for good or bad, we are allowed to make our own choices, choices that we will have to live with. Fate is simply the series of events that happen in life, those that must come to pass and those that can be changed if we act at the right time. Nothing is set in stone until it has happened, and sometimes it can still be changed," Loki sat back and quietly thought about his next words, "Perhaps it is Fate pushing you in the right direction, giving you the strength to make the best choices, and gifting you with what you will need to overcome the obstacles in your path. Perhaps…Life and Death were not the only ones who decided to grant you the power to change things in this Universe. Maybe Fate has chosen you as its Champion as well. And if that is the case, I wish you luck because you are going to need it," Loki smiled sympathetically, "And if Fate has chosen you, you can be sure that everything that has happened so far is only the tip of the iceberg" he finished ominously.

With his last comment putting Neo slightly on edge the older god left the room in silence. Neo huffed and slumped forward resting his head in his hands, "Why is it that almost every time I ask for answers I just find myself with more questions than I had before?" he muttered quietly.

A prickle at the edge of his senses alerted Neo to someone else in the room. He heard a noise close and in front of him, so he quickly moved his hands and looked ahead. Kneeling on the floor at his feet was Elric.

The Spirit raised his right hand and placed it over his heart as he made a solemn pledge, "I am your servant, and yours to command. I am and will always be your Guardian, and will stand by you forever, until my end. I pledge my body and soul to your service. I am your instrument, and through me your will shall be done. I vow to serve you with the utmost valor, to remain loyal to you always, to keep faith in you, and to never lie to you. I will fight for you and the welfare of all whom you hold dear. My honor and glory are yours. I promise to persevere to the end in anything and everything that you command of me. I will uphold all of the virtues and ideals you hold sacred. This I vow."

Neo was shocked and would have said something about his words being unnecessary, but something inside of him was telling him that what Elric had just said was more than a simple statement. "I accept your vow," and the words had barely left his mouth, when suddenly a strong energy started to gather in the room. It was shorting out the lamp that Neo had been using to read, and it cast strange shadows as it flashed on and off. The energy slowly manifested a circle around the two, and form in the air as a brilliant sunny glow. Neo's Sight activated with a simple thought, but as his vision changed Neo grew confused because he wasn't looking at a force of magic, it was something else.

As Elric made the pledge his spirit, which was the energy Neo felt, had expanded and was now engraved with the words of his vow. Not only did his spirit take on the vow but everything that Elric silently included, which gave deeper meaning to his words. The power of Elric's vow weaved unbreakable chains that bound his soul to his promises. Golden chains that seemed to be formed out of light came from his chest (the core of Elric's soul) and a collar that had formed around the Guardian's throat, both chains connected together into one. The end of the chain hovered in front of the young god.

Neo didn't understand what was supposed to happen next so he looked at the words of power and saw that they formed a contract. Then, it was like he instinctively knew what was happening. Death had said that Elric was a Guardian spirit who had fought with living partners who gave him the power to manifest on the mortal plan by sharing their energy. She said that Elric didn't need that bond to become caporal anymore. So the Guardian Spirit was willingly binding himself to Neo, and he had used the word forever.

"Forever is a long time," Neo said and then swallowed thickly as he looked into the golden eyes, the very soul, of his Guardian. "Are you sure?"

"I am," Elric stated simply.

Neo hesitated for a moment before he reached out and gently grasped the gold chain. It wound around his hand and at that instant Neo could feel a link between Elric and himself. With the vow made and accepted the light died down, and then Elric's soul retreated back into his form.

Neo looked down at his hand and noticed that if he tried hard enough he could still see the bond but his eyes grew strained trying to maintain the power he had tapped into, 'It must be the Soul Gaze Death told me about.' He pushed the power back down and his sight returned to normal. That's when all of the thoughts that had been held at bay by his shock suddenly sprung to mind, he had questions and he knew who was going to answer them.

Neo looked Elric in the eyes and his brow furrowed in confusion, "Why me? Why so suddenly?"

Elric took Neo's hand gently into his and raised it to his soft lips and pressed a feather light kiss to the god's knuckles to show his subservience before he spoke, "My Master, I have been a Guardian far longer than anything else in my long existence and it is all I know now. I have had many Masters and I have out lived them all. For some time now I have had a desire, and even as I told myself that it would always be a dream, I have longed to have a Master who would not leave me behind. I came to wish that such a Master would be the greatest of them all, someone I could give my loyalty to and never regret it. I have had both good and terrible Masters, but in the short time that I have known you I realized that I never had one as great as you. As a god you will live a long time, and even if you were to die, gods will always be reborn. But you are no mere god, you are the Master of Death, and like Death you are an eternal being. After the end of my Universe I thought that it was my duty to pledge myself to the service of Death, but she told me to wait and my true master would come. I heard what your Uncle said. Things will not be easy, but I will always stand by you. I felt that now was the right time to form a contract because I know now that you are the Master I seek. My choices lead me to my fate as a Guardian, but Fate itself was merciful enough to grant me this chance. It is my destiny to be by your side, and I am doubly blessed because you are not just my Master but my True Master. My dream came true. In all of the Universes across time and space, this is the only one where you exist as a god and the Master of Death. And my wish came true when I found out not only are you a being of great power but you are a great man." Elric's eyes had gone misty as his happiness started to become too much to hold in any longer.

Neo didn't say a word as he pulled his hand away from the Spirit. A flash of pain crossed the Spirit's face as he began to think that he had been rejected, but Elric's emotions where soothed as the young god reached out and pulled the Spirit to his feet to get a better look at his eyes. Neo spoke, "You didn't have to promise all of that. I would have been happy with just having you as my friend. But I understand that this is who you are, so if it makes you more comfortable you can keep doing what you do, I just want you to try acting a little less like my servant. I don't want you to feel strange though, so baby steps. Like talking to me more, and don't stand in the background so much, okay? Oh, and in this day and age people don't believe in servants so you might want to call me something besides master, but that's just a suggestion. It will take some time to adjust but I'm sure it won't be hard."

Elric understood and he was very happy, "I will try. Please excuse me, M…Sir," the way Elric had said "sir", left Neo wondering how long it would take the Spirit to become less awkward in addressing him as something other than "Master".

"See you later," he said but the other man was already gone. Neo chuckled as a grin spread across his face. But he almost choked a second later, because THAT was when he remembered that he was in a house where the walls literally had eyes, ears and could talk. 'Isn't that a triple threat?'

Neo looked up to the camera mounted on the wall, "Jarvis? Is there any chance that you happened to miss all of that?"

"No, my camera and microphone have been functioning correctly all day, but since I cannot understand or explain what happened, I am willing to allow you the chance to do so before I feel the need to inform Mr. Stark." The A.I.'s voice sounded stern and Neo could tell that Jarvis would do exactly as he said if he didn't start talking.

It was still taking time for Neo to understand it so he just said the first thing that came to mind, "I don't really know how to explain magic to a computer, even one as smart as you."

"I was able to gather that you, your Uncle, and Mr. Graves believe in the illogical idea of magic. However that fact does not explain the energy fluctuation in the room or the electric field that suddenly formed. Could you please explain that?"

"If I tell you I will be putting my life and the lives of my family in danger. If you will agree to delete the video and audio from before Loki came in to until I am done explaining I will tell you. Deal?" Neo thought it was silly making a deal with a computer, but Jarvis has always acted more like a human and Neo trusted him.

"If I am certain that the information poses no threat to Mr. Stark I will do what you ask," the computer agreed and Neo breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he explained the fact that a world full of fantastic creatures and people who were able to manipulate the energy around them existed right there on Earth and no one knew about it. Jarvis took the time to validate this by searching out any anomalies in Geography and public records in places that where heavily populated by the wizards and he was able to see the strange peculiarities. When Neo started to talk about the fact that he was a god the A.I. demanded a blood test, but Neo said he could prove it with a less invasive test and told the A.I. to scan his muscle and bone density. Jarvis had to reluctantly agree that Neo was not completely human, and because Neo had told him the truth (as Jarvis was carefully monitoring Neo using programs designed to detect lies) Jarvis deleted the footage and blamed it on Neo for shorting out the circuit in the room. Later when asked about the missing video file, Jarvis would tell Tony that he had fixed the problem with Neo's help but couldn't recover the footage.

With that finally over Neo started to wonder what Tony was still doing in his lab. He seriously had to have a talk with a certain genius about the fact a human being cannot function none stop, or he could just glare at Tony and drag the man out of the lab every once and awhile. Neo was sure that the genius was smart enough to interpret the meaning behind that.

Neo reached the bottom of the stairs and saw Tony in the workshop. He quickly became worried as he saw the fierce look in Tony's eyes. It was usually a good thing for a person to take action when they came across a challenge, but when it comes to Tony it could turn out horrible.

Tony spotted Neo out of the corner of his eye, and the idea that had been forming since he saw the news suddenly developed a little more. The billionaire flashed Neo a grin which put the young god on alert.

"Whatever it is, if it involves danger you need to tell me now, so I can be ready before we leave," Neo said quickly.

Tony blinked as his eyebrows made a valiant effort to jump into his hairline, "Wow, I actually wasn't expecting you to agree, at least not until I wore you down with my amazing persuasion skills. You just went up a notch on the "Tony Stark Scale of Cool", which means right now you and Pepper are tied, but that's because Pep will always be number one."

Neo laughed, "Okay, seriously, what's going on?"

"How do you feel about suits, dancing, drinking and possibly having people stare at you because you're my date?" The words rushed out of Tony's mouth.

Even though he was sure he heard Tony correctly Neo still had to ask, "What?!"

"You're so eloquent," Tony teased making Neo roll his eyes, "Apparently I'm throwing a party and wasn't invited. So how do you feel about accompanying me to my third annual benefit for the Firefighter's Family Fund at the Disney Concert Hall?"

Neo thought about it then shrugged his shoulders, "Why not? But I'm not going as your date. If Pepper doesn't get mad, she will laugh herself to death after the news blows-up with scandalous articles about your PTSD turning you gay, or some bollocks idea of the like."

"Alright, but don't come to me when you realize that you're passing up the chance of a lifetime," Tony quipped.

"I'm sure I will find some way to live with it." They both laughed, "Just give me ten minutes and I'll be ready. You said suit, right?"

"Yeah, I'll meet you at the door in ten minutes."

Thanks to his magic, which he didn't have to keep secret from Jarvis anymore, Neo was ready in less than five minutes. He mentioned that he was going out and everyone decided to come along. When he realized that it would be a full car he told Jarvis to call for the limo.

Tony and everyone else stood at the door dressed in their best when Neo arrived. Tony was handsome and looked as comfortable in his suite as he did in his grease covered shirts. Loki seemed to be the most elegantly dressed with his green silk tie and designer clothes. Remus looked like an upper class British citizen. Even though his shirt was not fully buttoned it gave him a ruggedly handsome look, and the bronze tie he loosely wore brought out the color of his amber eyes. Fenrir looked similar to Remus, but he had gone without a tie. Jormungandr looked good in a white vest over an ice blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and white dress pants. Percy and Luke went with the traditional black and white clothes, but they had styled their hair up for the occasion.

The group started to leave as soon as they saw Neo, knowing that he would catch up.

"Hey, man," Percy said as Neo came closer to him, at exactly ten minutes after he had talked to Tony. The Son of Poseidon saw Neo in his emerald green shirt that made his eyes seem brighter with a black silk tie hanging from his neck and black pants. But the new god was wearing his usual leather jacket and everyone, besides Tony, knew he was ready for anything just like he always was.

Neo looked at the fidgeting demigod, "Hey. You know, I think you looked more comfortable the first time we played capture the flag than you do right now. You need to relax, Percy. It's not like some monster is going to suddenly show-up and chew your face off." Neo couldn't help but grin evilly as the younger boy paled. He pat Percy on the shoulder as everyone started to head toward the car, "Look, even if some big bad does show up, you have my family and I looking out for you."

Percy was able to breathe again, and he bumped shoulders with Neo as he walked next to him. "Thanks, I've just never done anything like this before. People don't really invite the dyslexic kid with ADHD to some up-scale party, so I really never got the chance to wear something like this."

Neo brought Percy closer as he wrapped his arm around the younger boy's shoulders, "Well you look gorgeous, mate! So stop fidgeting, put your chin up, give us a smile and you'll knock'em all dead."

Percy just laughed; he was feeling better by the second. It was like Neo had the ability to make everything easier. Percy felt calmer, surer, and happier every time Neo was around. Neo always managed to say the right thing. He was smart, helpful, polite and strong, but he could also be mischievous and sarcastic. When Percy looked up at the other boy, he noticed Neo smiling at him. Percy's cheeks started to feel warm and his heart suddenly skipped a bet.

Neo was the last to get into the car, but he heard a noise behind him before he started to slide in. He looked and saw Sirius standing there in his dog form whining pitifully. The wizard's "puppy eyes" where cranked-up to ten and his tail was drooping, but Neo could see that his fur was just cleaned. Neo shook his head at the display, "Come on, Padfoot, no one's going to make you stay here."

The dog happily jumped in and Neo got in after, then leaned over and closed the door. Inside the limo there was a fun atmosphere created by the excitement of Fenrir and Percy, which was tempered by the sarcasm and calmness of everyone else in the car.

They quickly arrived at the fundraiser, but it seemed that Tony was completely unexpected. The billionaire quickly walked past the guests lingering outside, and even brushed off Obadiah. As they walked inside the group broke up, but Neo and Percy stayed close to Tony.

Agent Coulson was a familiar face and Neo thought it was funny how the poor man was more easily brushed off by Tony than Pepper.

Neo decided to speak up, "You know he was ignoring you right?" His statement made the older man turn to him. "Your name is Coulson? You were talking to Pepper the other day."

"You know me but I don't think I ever got your name…" Coulson questioned in return.

"My name is Neo Thorson, and this is my friend Percy Jackson."

"Phil Coulson," they shook hands as they introduced themselves. "Pardon me asking, Mr. Jackson, but aren't you a little young for this kind of party."

"Easy Phil, with questions like that you sound like a concerned parent," Neo joked. "Besides, Percy's not here for the free drinks; we're here by invitation. I met Tony while I was in town for business and he was nice enough to let me stay with him for awhile. America's great and the private beach that Tony has is brilliant. So when he chose to show up at the last minute he invited us to tag along," Neo looked closer at the Agent's face, "Hm, why do you look so surprised?"

Surprised was an understatement, Agent Coulson was doing his version of a freak out. No one had reported that Tony had visitors and the man has been under surveillance since he returned to the States. He would have the agent responsible on assignment in the Artic; this kind of error was unacceptable.

Of course, it wasn't really the agents fault. The wards that Neo had set up around the property before he had even passed the gate made sure that outsiders never saw any magic being performed. This also meant that anyone on the property who had magic wasn't visible or audible from outside. It was also the anti-spying magic that stopped the microphones they tried to plant from working, thought the techs at S.H.I.E.L.D. had said it was due to Tony's high-tech equipment messing with the frequency.

Thanks to Neo's ADHD and paranoia he had noticed the people following Tony since they started tailing the billionaire's vehicle after the press conference, and it was a relief to finally find out who it was, "Well I hope you have a good night, Phil. I have a feeling I'll be seeing you around."

Neo and Percy walked away, and it looked like they had chosen the best time. Four guests were moving across the floor toward Tony, and the look on their faces said they weren't looking to have a polite conversation with the inventor. Neo quickened his pace and reached Tony at the same time as one of the men he saw. The man reached out for Tony and grabbed his shoulder. As Tony started to turn toward him, the man aimed a left hook to the genius' face. Neo caught it in time and pushed the man away from Tony then placed himself between his new friend and his aggressors.

"Get out of my way!" the guest yelled. His loud exclamation caused the guests around them to back away.

"Sir, you and your friends should leave before you get yourselves into trouble," Neo told him. "Because you'll have to go through me to get to Mr. Stark."

"Do you know who I am? You can't stop me; this is between me and Stark." The man looked around Neo to see Tony, "You have the balls to show your face here Stark! I have been a board member of Stark Enterprises for 30 years, and suddenly you decide that a Weapons Company is just supposed to stop making weapons? Then some upstart comes along and talks my guy into selling all of my shares in the company. I don't know how you did it, but I'm sure that this is all some cockamamie scheme you thought up, did they cut of your balls while you were in the desert, or are you finally showing everyone just how pathetic you really are?"

Neo didn't think twice, he stepped closer, "One more word, and I'll have you arrested, here and now."

The man obviously thought Neo wouldn't be a problem and tried to push him out of the way. As soon as he felt a hand grab his shoulder Neo moved, he flipped the man onto his back in the blink of an eye. The air rushed out of the other mans lungs when he hit the floor and at the same time the whole room held its breath.

"Listen Myers, I own Stark Enterprises so the company is what I say it is. And it's not my fault if you jumped ship like a rat, that's your problem. Frankly I don't care what you decided to do, because the truth is that Stark Enterprises doesn't need people like you. And I'm personally going to work on cleaning out the trash, soon." Tony's words where said in his usual calm and superior tone.

One of the men who showed up with Myers decided that it was his turn to add his pointless two cents. "Shut up, Stark! You never cared about the company before. I guarantee this is just some self-righteous faze, and when you realized that you don't want to take the responsibility of running your own company you'll dump it on someone else."

"I think that's quite enough, gentleman," Loki said from the left of the two standing men.

"Yeah, nobody likes a buzz kill." Luke called from the opposite side. He gave his dangerously charming smile and the temperature in the room seemed to drop.

"I agree, you should leave." The voice of Jormungandr came from behind the two men.

When they turned around Jormungandr stood with his younger brother who commented also, "You three should get lost. If you run now, you might make it out of here undamaged, but your egos won't be so lucky," Fenrir let out a small laugh.

A growl came from beside Neo as Remus and Sirius walked up, the latter with his hackles raised. "I believe my friends are right, please leave," The wolf-shifter said.

Sirius was enough to finally get through to the men that it was not going to end well if they didn't leave, now.

"It looks like you got some new bodyguards Stark," the last man said, "but will they be able to protect you when worse people show up? Do you think your new muscle will be able to stop all of the people gunning for you? You have too many enemies for that Stark. Maybe you should have thought about who you're real friends are, before you made so many enemies." The man's comment didn't go unnoticed by the gods in the room. "Come on Mastovich, give me a hand," the speaker gestured to the downed man, and the two standing men helped their friend off of the floor before they left.

When the three men were gone Tony spoke to the men he had gotten to know recently, and who continually surprised him. "You didn't have to do that guys, I can take a hit when it comes to dealing with my problems."

Loki just gave Tony a look that said "you are an imbecile", before he finally said, "Are you saying that you don't appreciate our help? That's not very grateful of you." Then Loki smirked, which showed that he was joking as he added, "Or maybe you're just more trouble than you're worth."

Pepper who Tony had been talking to laughed, "You have no idea," she joked and just like that the party seemed to continue.

Every one of the guests went back to having a good time and the group separated again. This time Neo was left on the dance floor with Agent Coulson. Phil had moved to help Tony but when he saw that he didn't need to he just observed. It was a surprise to him that the group of men seemed to be closer to Stark than he thought.

Neo turned to see Coulson still there. The new god just raised one eyebrow. Phil just smiled and walked back to the buffet table. Neo rolled his eyes as a smile spread across his face. It didn't take long before Neo and the others saw Tony heading for the door. They all left quickly after the genius and got in behind Tony when Happy pulled the limo up to the curb. They may not have been there long but it was still good to get out of the house.

 ***Inside-with Coulson***

Phil had been assigned to Stark ever since he was kidnapped, and he was almost ready to kidnap the man himself. It was obviously the only way someone could get Tony Stark's attention and he would be recommending it to Fury as a first option. He knew that Neo, one of the guests Stark had brought with him was right; Stark hadn't listened to a word Phil had said. Phil was the agent sent to debrief Tony, but as he watched Tony leave the Fundraiser he decided to call it a night. Phil was walking to the door when he bumped into a beautiful blonde who had been walking in the opposite direction.

"I'm so sorry Mrs..." he apologized.

"Miss Vanguard, actually," the woman said politely, "And I'm sure you didn't mean it," the woman's black eyes shone in the light as a small blush blossomed on her smiling face.

"Phil Coulson, please excuse me," Phil said as he turned to leave.

"Oh! You're leaving already?" she asked disappointingly.

"Yes, I had a little business to take care of but it looks like I missed my chance."

"I see, it seems your evening isn't going very well and I'm sorry to hear that, but," the woman bit her lip in hesitation as her blush darkened, "Perhaps you wouldn't mind dancing with me before you go? Of course if you would rather not, I'll understand."

Phil would have normally refused, but Tony already had an agent tailing him meaning Phil would have just headed back to his hotel anyway. So instead of his normal refusal he said, "It would be my pleasure, Ms. Vanguard."

They carried on a polite conversation while dancing and three songs later Phil had taken his dance partner over to the refreshment table.

"Thank you for such a lovely dance, Phil." the blonde said as she kissed Phil on the cheek. "It is good to know men like you still exist."

"And what kind of man would I be?" he asked with a smile. Phil realized that his mood had changed after he met her and it had put him in good spirits.

"One of the best. You are a man who is kind, honorable and noble. Men like you make the world a better place, and they often die young. But I have a feeling you will be around for awhile," she gave a secretive look and pat him on the arm.

Phil thought he heard her murmur something that sounded like, "Especially if I have anything to say about it", but he dismissed it. Even though Phil Coulson was an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., he tried to restrain his paranoia. He couldn't let his focus drift into thoughts that would distract him.

She looked up at the clock placed on the wall behind the bar. "Oh goodness, it looks like I should be going. It was lovely meeting you, Phil. I hope you have a good evening." She gave him a beautiful smile as she gracefully left.

Phil glanced at the clock and noticed that he had stayed an extra hour. He quickly left as well. Fortunately if he didn't hit any traffic he would get back to his hotel in time to get at least six hours of sleep.

In the shadows two figures stood watching the agent leave.

When the man was gone the white-haired figure spoke, "I take it you like him?"

The blonde turned to face her companion. "He is a good man, 'one of the best', in fact. He will make a good ally, Dear."

"Yes," Death agreed, lust filled eyes pinning Death's companion. "You are as gorgeous as a woman as you are a man, Zach, and it's hard to keep my hands to myself. Why don't we spend the rest of our time together, somewhere more private?"

"Only if that means you will be the 'man' tonight," Life teased and pulled Death into soft arms, as the white-haired entities form changed into something more masculine.

"Whatever you want," Death responded with a deep chuckle as both figures faded into the shadows.

 ***Tony's House***

Neo reached the bottom of the stairs and saw Tony in the workshop. He scoffed when he saw the billionaire genius asleep on his workbench. Neo walked over and saw how hunched Tony looked so he chose to move the man up to his bedroom. It was a success until Neo went to carefully drop Tony on the bed and lost his balance as the bed sank under their weight. The younger successfully stopped himself from banging heads with Tony's and possibly giving the sleeping man a concussion. But it seemed that the slip was fortunate because Neo was close enough to hear Tony whisper a name in his sleep.

Neo stood up with a smile, "Good night, Tony," he said. Neo walked back to his room in silence and fell asleep soon after getting in bed.

"Neo," Tony said again as he rolled over in his sleep.

 ***Next Morning***

The demigods and wizards had gone to bed late but when Loki, Neo and Jormungandr had heard Tony leave in his suit they had stayed awake. This also meant that they were awake to hear Tony come in and watch as Pepper walked through the door a minute later. Neo decided to give them some privacy, soon Colonel Rhodes showed up, almost catching Neo practicing the spells Loki was teaching him. When the last of their family and Percy had woken up, everyone went down to the beach again. They stayed out later than normal and didn't come back until sunset.

It was very unfortunate that they didn't come back sooner. Neo arrived to see Tony leaving in his suit again but something was different. They saw Rhodes leaving and got him to tell them what was wrong.

"Where is the Arc Reactor building?" Remus asked.

"It's next to the main factory. Why?" the dark skinned man asked.

Remus looked at Neo at the same time everyone else seemed to. Neo nodded, "Crowd control is our first priority, and we need to get everyone out of the area as quickly as possible. Colonel, you're going to need to call in reinforcements and tell them to meet you at Starks Arc Reactor building, now. I'll make sure that everyone inside the Reactor building gets out safe."

Neo used a search spell to find Obadiah, and when he did he grabbed a hold of Luke and Percy, "I found them," he said before using his teleporting ability to travel to the Arc Reactor. The three gods and two wizards showed up soon after and they group disillusioned themselves so that no one would remember their faces. Neo headed inside as the others got to work warning people that there was a problem at the factory and it was dangerous. A barrier keeping people and vehicles out of the area, and some mind magic that help convince citizens to leave, had the area cleared out faster than everyone would have thought and covered several blocks.

Neo quickly found Pepper and the Agents in the lowest lab as they watched the Iron Monger suit power up. Agent Coulson was leading Pepper out, while Obadiah had lurched forward to attack the other agents. Neo quickly used his power to pull the agents out of the way, "Get up stairs! Go on," he yelled. The men looked at him, "Now," Obadiah had moved closer to one of the agents ready to crush him, but before he could Neo grabbed the man and shoved him up the stairs and the others followed behind. They met the red head and head agent outside.

It wasn't long after that Tony showed up and a fight between the two metal suits began. Soon after, the magic users dropped a small part of the barrier to let in the tanks when they showed up. The fight was terrible but it was over before anyone knew it.

Everything seemed to blur after that. Neo made sure that everyone involved had made it out safely. The soldiers were mostly fine but some had been injured. Those who had gotten hurt where quickly taken care of and would be fine later.

Neo watched as reporters inched closer to the scene. He glanced at Elric, who had assisted in evacuating the area before the battle, before he said, "Death said that I have some kind of "Guard", right?"

"Yes," the Spirit replied promptly.

"How many do you think it would take for crowd control, and to clean this place up?"

Elric quickly understood what his master was saying, "If you wish, I can call enough of them here to maintain a perimeter and start to clear the area of damaged debris."

"Alright, but I don't just want it cleaned up and thrown away. I want it gone; that means that no one will be able to get their hands on any "souvenirs". You will make sure that everything is accounted for, and then collect all of the research and equipment in the lab. And for the future, because I have a record of getting into trouble, "clean up" will be part of the standard procedure. You will be in charge of making sure that no one, and I mean absolutely no one, but us touches anything that might be dangerous or could be used against us. Here take this," Neo said as he handed Elric a conjured replica of Happy's security badge with the white haired man's picture on it.

"Right away, sir," the Spirit said while accepting the card before he turned and walked away. Neo wondered how he was going to contact Eternia from there, but he never got the answer. Soon after Elric left Neo, black unmarked vehicles showed up. Almost 50 men and women got out of the vehicles and got to work securing the area. The soldiers tried to stop them, but Elric used the badge Neo had given him stating they were Stark Enterprises personal security and damage crew. No one questioned their being there afterward, due to the efficient way they worked. They worked almost too fast to see what they were doing. As they walked around, those that came close to Neo all gave polite bows and a greeting.

The SHIELD agents were curious who the people that had shown up where, because of course they weren't SHIELD agents; most of the women wore maid uniforms and the men wore three piece suits that were perfectly pressed. The uniforms made it obvious to spot those that were dressed in non-western clothes, like the women wearing kimonos.

There wasn't much of a chance to observe because everyone was asked to leave the area. Then large screens were set up to keep bystanders from seeing what was going on. Once they were safely out of prying eyes the Spirits used their abilities or powers to have the work done in an hour. The screens would be staying up for three days after though, even with the work done.

 ***Break***

It felt like only a second passed between the end of the fight and the time they made it back to Tony's house. Rhodes came back to the house to check on Tony and fell asleep on the couch watching TV. Pepper had decided to go home before she started work the next morning.

Tony had gone to take the armor off awhile ago, and Neo finally decided to go down and see what was taking so long. This was when Neo found Tony and Rhodes trying to pry off one of the arms to the suit with a crowbar.

Neo quickly walked over and took the crowbar out of the military man's hand, "Oh yes, that's very American; "this looks like a problem, let me find a big stick". Do you want to take Tony's eye out with a piece of metal, or did that thought not occur to you as a possible hazard?"

"Hey, I'm not the one who said we should use the crowbar," Rhodes defended and then pointed at Tony, "It was all the genius' idea."

"Yes, and I would appreciate it if you gave it back to the man trying to get me out of this suit," Tony seemed to pout as he tried to tug off the offending piece of armor.

Neo shook his head and sat the metal tool the farthest from Tony as possible.

"It's late Colonel. Why don't you go upstairs and get some sleep? I can get Tony out of the suit."

"You know what? I think that's a good idea," the colonel looks at his friend, "You know I care about you Tony, but I'm too tired and afraid that I might hurt you if I keep trying to help. See you in the morning, man."

"Hey, that's so uncool. If you leave, I am confiscating your "bro card", Rhodey!" It was a futile effort, since the other man had already left. Tony gave a huff when he realized his friend was gone. He looked to the only other person in the room, but he saw something strange in Neo's eyes. Tony had noticed the shadows before, the kind that give away the pains of a person's past to the people who can tell what they are. The younger man seemed to be struggling with something; like a person trying to decide if what they were about to say was worth the trouble of being known.

Tony realized he had been spot on when Neo spoke, "I need to tell you something. You really scared me out there Tony, but the worst thing about it is I know that I could have avoided that fear by telling you something I should have told you before. I feel like a coward now. I would have helped you if you needed it, but I was also worried about what would happen if other people found out my secret. Because it's not just my secret, it's my families' secret and a secret that has been kept by people around the world from everyone else. There is so much more to this world than you know, and I really don't know where to start or how to make you believe me."

Tony just shrugged, "Well usually things start at the beginning, because that's where they begin."

Rolling his eyes and laughing Neo continued, "Yeah, I guess they do," Neo went on to explain his history to Tony, starting at the supposed death of his parents and including his childhood with the Dursleys which is a part he usually left out. Neo did leave out the fact that he had a different name before. He kept talking, giving descriptions of his adventures one after the other, and he only paused for breathes. Neo let Tony know that his parents were alive and they had decided not to live together, but he neglected to tell Tony who they were. Then he went silent as he finished his story four hours later. In fact everything was silent and Tony was deathly still.

"Prove it," the genius suddenly said. Neo looked at him in confusion. "It all sounds too fantastic. I mean if you turned that story into a book series, you would sell copies around the world; but it would be sold in the fiction section because it's really hard to believe. Don't get me wrong I trust you, but I'm having a hard time with this. If you tell me that a secret group of people figured out how to harness ambient energy with some kind of device, that reads brainwaves and then processes those thoughts into commands, to change the environment; I might believe you more than just saying you can do magic."

Neo raised an eyebrow, then after a second of thinking he reached over to grab Tony's armored arm, and with his bare hands he tore the damaged metal apart. The now free man didn't look impressed however.

"I've seen that before. I mean it might have been done by people who looked a lot stronger than you…"

"Way to hurt a guy," Neo interrupted.

"Science has been trying to make a super-human serum for ages, and we succeeded once, but then the scientist who discovered it was killed. You might have been unknowingly exposed to it."

Neo was puzzled, because Tony's arguments were actually sound. How did someone actually prove that magic was real and couldn't be explained by science? Neo decided to try something.

"Scientific theory can explain time travel and alternate dimensions, so taking you to meet Death is out; and like you said a wand could be considered a device that channels thoughts into reality by harnessing energy in different ways. But there are some things that cannot be explained by science. You would say that a man could not turn into a dog, right?"

"Of course," Tony agreed, but he had a feeling Neo was about to prove him wrong.

"Jarvis, I know Padfoot, so you must have footage of him turning into a human, right?" Neo asked the artificial butler.

A clip popped up on one of the nearest screens showing Sirius changing back into a human so he could grab a late night snack.

Acting like the stubborn man he was Tony chose to question what he saw, "Did you use C.G.I. on that, Jarvis?"

"No sir, the video is completely original. I also have another clip of the same man coming out of Mr. Lupin's room, before hearing you coming up the stairs and changing into a dog. Would you like to see it?"

"I knew there was something weird about that dog," Tony admitted.

Neo chuckled, "Actually, I think he's more natural as a dog. So do you believe me now?"

"If you give me a minute I could probably come up with a reason for it, but I'm too tired to figure out how to explain it being an illusion that you can touch. But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt."

"That's so generous of you," Neo smirk, "but just to make sure you believe me. How's this?" Neo knew that science can't explain the creation of something from nothing, so he raised his hand and conjured up a grapefruit sized red rubber ball that he bounced on the floor and then tossed to Tony who caught it out of reflex.

Tony almost dropped it in surprise as the weight of the solid mass in his hands registered in his brain. He still squeezed it; just to make sure it wasn't a slight of hand trick, and the ball could be squished into a smaller size. It gave a little but was mostly solid and could not have been easily concealed.

Tony nodded, "That works. How does no one know about this?"

"People do know. I'm assuming you mean people who don't have magic, right?" A nod from Tony made him continue, "I'm sure that the only reason the Wizarding World has been successful in staying secret is because people in the mundane government are "in the know", actually I wouldn't be surprised if governments around the world where helping keep wizards and witches a secret."

"So why didn't you tell me sooner? I guess it can't be a big secret if so many people know."

"There are laws forbidding any witch or wizard from revealing magic to a non-magical person. The Wizarding World calls them "muggles", but I don't like the sound of it so much anymore. In the War, the people I fought against made it sound so terrible; I swore I would never say it again. I know that we have these laws, so I don't know why the Aurors haven't shown up yet. Just don't tell anybody else, unless it's absolutely necessary, alright?"

"Yeah, I just think that it's kind of strange that people are keeping it so secret. I don't think that it would be such a big deal to at least take responsibility for what they did, instead of covering it up. Come on, can you honestly tell me that you haven't thought about telling everyone that you're a hero and saved the world from a psycho Magician? You're acting way too humble about this."

"Honestly? No," Neo looked at Tony with a steely gaze, "Only an insecure, self-serving, idiot would have to tell people he's a hero. It's dangerous enough having to fight all of the bad guys. Why would I put the people I love in danger from the rest of the world by revealing my secret to terrorists and the like? Public means public, everyone will know who and what I am. What if the non-magical "bad guys" suddenly decide to target me for one reason or another? When they find out I will never surrender; what's going to stop them from targeting my family and friends? And if they succeed in killing me or worse, who's going to protect the people I love from them? Who's going to protect Sirius and Remus?" Neo looked away, and when he looked at Tony again there was even more fire in them, "Who's going to protect you? Aren't you supposed to be a genius? I shouldn't have to tell you this. I keep my powers and identity a secret for many reasons, not just to protect myself. And I'll tell that to anyone else who asks me that question. I won't be responsible for setting a precedent that will cause people like me and you, who need to keep our identity a secret, to be forced into revealing their identity because I know how dangerous it is."

"What do you mean? Why should the good guys have to hide? If we knew the people behind the mask, it would make them responsible for what they do. If someone with the power to save people does the job but leaves others to clean up the mess, that's negligence. I've seen the news Britain was affected by the War, but I don't see the Wizards out their fixing what happened."

"The War was concentrated in the Wizarding World for a reason. The people I fought with did their best to make sure that the mundane people were not hurt. We gave up our last sanctuary as host to the final and worst battle of the war, so that non-magical people would be safe. With the things that happened there, the Wizarding World's last beacon of hope will never be the same. There was too much destruction and black magic for Hogwarts to ever be the same again, but people are still trying to do what they can. And even more are working to repair the damage done in the Mundane World. If you also cared to realize, you would have noticed that the reconstruction is coming along significantly faster than it usually would, almost like magic."

"Yeah, and now that I know, I can also see that every one of those witches and wizards is happy to let people keep thinking that it was a bunch of terrorists that did it. At least if people knew the truth, they wouldn't be so scared of someone that isn't coming back."

"Voldemort was a terrorist, and who said the threat was gone? There were too many people willing to fight for his cause, for me to delude myself into naively thinking that there won't be some other Dark Wizard or Witch who will come along and decide to pick a fight. The Magical World did everything it could, for as long as possible, to keep the mundane mortals safe. No amount of magic could protect everyone, all of the time. It would be even worse if the rest of the world did know about magical people and thought that they could "take responsibility" like you're saying, because for some that translates into "solve our problems". Do you really think it would be better if people knew that there were others who could fix something with a single word, save lives with a simple concoction, or kill with one spell? You've heard the stories about what people did when they believed in magic. They used to burn poor widowed women at the stake for a man's infidelity; because he decided to blame his transgression on magic instead of admitting that he was the one responsible to the rest of his village. The people who were executed in the Middle Ages or during the Witch Trials weren't even magical. Every magical child knows a spell to protect them from flames. But the fear of magic, of a power that only a select few were chosen to wield, was stirred up by those people who were jealous that they didn't have such a gift. But you say you want people to take responsibility? It's not about responsibility to people in power it's about diverting the blame onto someone else, even when it's no one's fault. What do you think will happen if no one is able to stop an attack or save people from a major disaster? What if the public wants to hold magical people responsible because they weren't there? If that happens there will be groups and factions begging for blood. This whole World will be turned into a powder keg and the match that sets it off will be men and women with political power in the world who are looking for an excuse to get rid of someone that opposes them, while making themselves look good. It will cause a global war and no one will be safe from the death and destruction. If you want to be responsible use your genius to make the world a better place, but hang up your pride before you destroy more lives than you could ever save."

"At least I would try to save them!" Tony stood up and exclaimed his words in Neo's face.

"So would I! Don't think for a second that I would willingly leave anyone in danger if I could save them. What I'm telling you is to think ahead. What has the public ever done for you, that makes you even consider trusting them? You constantly prove that revealing your secrets and what makes you different to the public is dangerous. People continue to misjudge you. I heard what the people around you say about you, and I know you hear them to. They are supposed to know you and they couldn't be more wrong about the man you are."

"I was that man once, and what they say is true. You know that. It's the reason I'm trying to make things better," Tony argued.

"They called you a selfish coward, but I know the truth. I know that a selfish person wouldn't have tried to rescue the prisoner being held captive with him. I know that a coward wouldn't have made an unorthodox suit of armor, that he built in captivity, to escape; and he certainly wouldn't have used said suit to become a hero who saved lives by shutting down a terrorist organization and fighting a powerful enemy to save his friends. You deserve credit for that Tony, but do you think everyone is going to see it that way? How many people in the military, do you think, are hoping to get their hands on the "robots" that just tore-up the Stark Enterprises factory? When someone draws the conclusion that you obviously made it, people will start demanding it. They are probably going to fight you for the schematics to your suit because it's a weapon that they don't have and is more powerful than the ones they do. Like children being told that they can't have the new toy because the store that makes it is going out of business, they will demand it unreasonably and think that they can brow beat you into giving it to them anyway. That suit is a part of you, you decided to start this, and I know that you won't stop now. No one in the government is going to believe you if you tell them they can't have it, because they can't control you. It will get dangerous Tony, and you might think that you can handle that kind of pressure, but can you live with yourself when someone threatens Pepper, Happy, or Rhodey? People need to be responsible, but is it worth the terrible things it will cause later? I'm not telling you what to do; I'm just hoping that you'll consider what I'm saying. No one can make your decisions but you, so what you do about it is your call," Neo paused, "I just want you to be safe," He whispered.

It took a few minutes for Tony to respond, "You're the only person I can remember ever saying that to me, and I've got to say I'm a little upset that this is the first time I'm hearing it."

"I know that I'm stating the obvious, I just want you to make sure you think through things first…" Neo started but Tony interrupted him.

"That's not what I was talking about. I just realized that for the first time since my parents died, someone said they actually wanted me to be safe. That's not to say I don't realize people feel that way, it has been implied, but I haven't actually heard them say it." Tony gulped down a lump that had suddenly formed in his throat, "Never mind. So, what brought you down here?"

"Oh right! I need to tell you that we're leaving tomorrow, my family and I. Remember I was planning on going home with my Uncle and Cousins when they leave. I should have said it earlier but it kept slipping my mind whenever you were around."

Tony smirked, "I know, I can be distracting."

"Terribly," Neo agreed in good humor, "But, I have to go to Asgard to save another planet or two, you know, just the usual stuff; it's all in a day's work for us, right?"

"Right, so when are you leaving?"

"In a few hours, I'll spend a day back in New York, and then I'm off to another planet."

"This isn't goodbye, you'll be back," Tony said with confidence, "You already admitted I was distracting, but I also know I'm irresistibly attractive, devastatingly charming and…already completely in love with you."

"Wha…" Neo started to question if he heard the other man correctly, when suddenly Tony had leaned forward and kissed him.

Neo's eyes had become impossibly wide. Tony had pressed his lips to Neo's in a chaste kiss but the passion in that one kiss was mind boggling, and as he felt the warmth radiating from Tony's body, Neo slowly let his eyes close and kissed back. Both of their hearts skipped a beat and an electric spark went through them, as something warm and vibrant settled into their hearts. The complete feeling that Neo experienced in that one kiss caused a tear of joy to fall down his cheek. Neo could feel it in his heart and his very soul, Tony was his soul mate.

They were both out of breath when they separated, and they had matching joyful smiles. In that moment, Tony and Neo silently thought that the other was the most gorgeous thing they had seen in their lives.

The second that Neo got his breath back he spoke, "That was a little unexpected, I guess we'll just have to add spontaneous to the list. Where did that come from?"

Tony let out a breathy chuckle, "I really don't know. I only met you two weeks ago, but I feel like I loved you even before that. I had started having dreams about your amazing eyes and voice before I met you, and then you suddenly show up out of the blue. I don't really believe in fate, but the day I came close to believing, was the day I met you."

In the silence that came after that, it was easy to hear Luke yell out his brother's name.

"I told them to call when they were ready to go. It looks like it's time," Neo closed his eyes and leaned down to rest his head on Tony's shoulder, "And now I don't feel like leaving."

"I'm sure I could convince you to stay." Tony said with a sly grin.

Neo raised his head and took a step back, "And I'm sure you could, but I can't."

"Then you just have to come back soon, because you know how much I hate waiting. After all, I still have question, and you still have a lot of explaining to do."

"Right," the young god agreed with a laugh, "but now it looks like you're stuck with me when I do come back, so how about one more for the road."

Neo leaned in for one last kiss and it was not as chaste as the first, but it was full of love.

 ***Break***

The next day, after saying goodbye to his new friends and boyfriend, Tony went to a press conference much like the one he was going to when he first met Neo. Completely out of character, Tony actually thought twice when he got the sudden urge to tell the truth. As the idea popped into his head he instantly remembered the small argument he had with Neo the night before. Tony knew that the other man was right, if he tried to become a hero after telling people the truth it would do more harm than good, so Tony announced that thanks to his genius and a bodyguard dressed in a combat suit (affectionately named Iron Man by the press) the attack on Stark Enterprises was stopped. He also announced that because of the damage done to the factory, even though it was being rebuilt (technically it was already rebuild, thanks to the Spirits that served Neo), he would be building a new building in New York that ran completely on clean energy. The estimated construction date was still two years away at the most and when asked why he chose New York Tony smiled and said, "Someone suggested it."

That night Tony was coming home and was surprised when he met the apparent Director of SHIELD, Nick Fury. The man may have left quickly but Tony had a feeling that that was not the last time he would see him.

Nick Fury did not make house calls on a regular basis, but Tony Stark had actually surprised him today. Fury had been ready for Stark to pull something stupid to reveal the truth, but instead Stark had stuck with the cover story. The Director decided to pay the genius a visit to see if there was something else to Stark. It was confusing when he met the man and Tony Stark acted exactly the way he had thought he would. Tony Stark hadn't had a change in character; so what had made him decide to cooperate for once?

 ***Break***

The group made it back to the outskirts of Camp Half-Blood in the blink of an eye. Since Thor's coronation was scheduled for early the next day, the group would be staying there in Neo's tent for the night. Everyone except for Luke, Percy, Remus and Sirius who would be staying at camp (due to the minor fact that only gods are allowed in Asgard unless it's a special circumstance) took the rest of the day to prepare.

Loki had been teaching Neo about Asgard, and the young god was ready for the trip. After he was ready to go, Neo decided to see Chiron for a talk; he found the centaur in the Arena and they talked as Neo trained. They caught up on what had happened, and Chiron was impressed with Tony Stark's machine. By the time Neo left it was dinner.

Loki, Jormungandr, Fenrir, Sirius, Remus, Hermes and Luke were gathered around the kitchen table when he walked in, and as he shared good food with his family Neo felt excited about the next day. Loki had made plans to leave early and arrive as the final preparations for the coronation and after party were being made. They would slip in unnoticed in the confusion.

Even with his excitement, Neo was able to go to sleep easily. Fenrir had curled-up into Neo's side and was quietly snoring while Jormungandr lay on his other side. None of the sleeping gods knew the excitement that would come in the next few days.


	3. Chapter 2

The Law of Three

Chapter 2

As Neo walked out of his tent, he was greeted by the calm woods around Camp Half-Blood. He could almost taste the strawberries in the fields, as he caught their sent in the breeze. Everything was beautiful that morning as he basked in the peaceful serenity, but the calm atmosphere was at odds with his mood. Today was the day he would be heading to Asgard. He was excited about his next adventure; which was like the ones he had been on before, except he had never travel to another planet. In fact, Neo was so excited that small bursts of magical energy were slipping past his control in the form of electric sparks shooting from his body.

Elric observed his master from the entrance of the tent. The part of him that still remembered being human admired Neo's love of life, something that had waned in Elric over time. Since a spirit does not need food, sleep or comfort it is no wonder they can become apathetic towards the living, but even after millennia of being a spirit Elric was still capable of feeling and he was glad for it. Whether it was because a spirit fighting to protect the innocent needs to feel for his charges or because of his own stubborn heart that fueled his commitment to be a Guardian, Elric was proud of the fact he could still feel happy for Neo and loyalty towards his master. But there was a downside to retaining his human emotions, because he felt the emotions that came through the bond with his master more acutely than any other spirit would have. Feelings of excitement, anticipation, and anxiety were stirring around in his chest.

"Perhaps some chamomile and lavender tea before you go, my lord?" Elric asked finally stepping out of the tent with a tray in his hands.

Neo spun around with a look of surprise, "Oh Elric, it's you…Did you say tea? No, but thank you for asking."

"Right, just one for me then," the spirit said quietly as he turned and walking back to the kitchen.

It wasn't long before Loki and his two sons came out of the tent. The other three gods noticed how blissful the morning seemed, and when Fenrir's nose caught the smell of the strawberries his stomach growled loud enough for the others to hear. Reminded of his hunger the wolf god gave a small whine. The four gods had decided to skip breakfast to make sure their first meal of the day didn't make a re-appearance from traveling between worlds.

Loki placed a comforting hand on Fenrir's shoulder and said, "Do not sound so pitiful, my son. No doubt the servants of Asgard are in the middle of preparing the Coronation Feast, and you should be able to sneak a morsel before the Heir of Asgard is crowned. If I did not know better I would say you are the Son of Volstagg the Voluminous," Loki let his handsome features contort into a smirk.

"Hey! That is so not cool, I've met him before. It's like he just keeps eating," Fenrir's face had taken on a look of utter revulsion, "If I had an appetite like his I would be larger than all of Asgard."

"Then not only Odin would have to fear you, but the entire realm of the gods would be afraid of you swallowing them whole," Jormungandr joked.

"Where did that prophesy even come from? It's not like I'm actually going to eat Odin; he would probably taste like boot leather on a stick, because we all know that he's had one lodged so far up his butt these last centuries that it has become surgically implanted." Everyone laughed and as the snickers quieted down Loki felt that they should hasten their departure.

Loki turned to Neo to inform him of the hurry, "We are behind schedule, and the others should have been here by now. If they take much longer we will have to leave without saying farewell."

Of course, that is when his godfathers decides to show up, with Remus dragging Sirius behind him. The spectacle was added to when Luke helped a stumbling and half-asleep Percy Jackson walk through the trees to meet everyone. It was sad that Chiron couldn't be their but the centaur had already wished them a safe journey the previous night, knowing that his morning duties would keep him from seeing the Son of Hermes off.

The goodbyes were rushed, but Sirius was able to wake up enough to tell his godson to keep a keen eye out for the "Asgardian Talent" (translation: any moderately good-looking woman with a pulse). When Sirius noticed the death glare Remus was giving him, he quickly tried to retract his statement but it was too late. Sirius had to chase after the wolf shape-shifter as he walked away, which was faster than usual due to Remus no longer having a limp since Death made the two wizards young again.

The last thing that Neo heard Sirius say was, "…I swear I didn't mean it like that. I was just saying that Neo's a young man and he needs to realize that he will have…urges. I'm not saying he should recklessly pursue women, but the poor lad should at least be allowed a girlfriend. Wait, why are you walking faster? Remus please, just slow down and talk to me!"

Neo knew what Remus was concerned about but Sirius just didn't realize, that like any parent raising an independent young adult, Remus was worried that Neo was growing up too fast and wouldn't have time for his family any longer. The shape-shifter, who acted like a mother hen, seemed to be going through the stages of Empty Nest Syndrome already.

The youngest god gave his half-brother a put upon look, "Could you keep an eye on them for me? Remus' mood won't change until I comeback, but hopefully you can stop him from killing Sirius while I'm gone."

"Sure but I think that's easier said than done, just make sure you comeback in one piece so no one dies from a heart attack," Luke gave Neo a hug before the god turned to the Son of Poseidon.

"You know what? You're the one I'm going to worry about the most. You seem to have as much luck as I do, when it comes to getting into trouble."

"Hey, I totally resent that. I don't "get into trouble" it goes out of its way to find me," Percy chuckled uneasily as he remembered Mrs. Dodds trying to rip out his heart, "But look, uh…just be careful, okay?"

Neo held out his hand, "Always," he said as they clasped hands and pulled each other in for a brief hug. As he pulled away Neo reached into his pocket to pull out a small box. "Here, I made this for you. I realized I won't be around to watch your back, so I thought you could use it."

Percy opened the box and looked inside, on a sturdy-looking silver chain was a silver ring. It didn't have any markings and looked like any ordinary silver band, so Percy gave Neo a questioning look, "What is it?"

"It's a Ring of Invisibility, like Annabeth's hat it can turn the wearer invisible. This link here," Neo said pointing to the piece of metal attaching the ring to the chain, "will break when you want to remove the ring from the chain and it will repair itself when you want to put it back. You're the only one who can remove the chain and ring so you don't have to worry about them being stolen. But you still have to be careful, because it only makes you invisible. It doesn't stop someone, or something, from hearing or smelling you and you're still solid, so you have to make sure you don't bump into anything. I used to have a cloak that did the same thing and it got me out of a lot of trouble."

"You made this?"

Neo rubbed the ring on his hand absently, "It wasn't hard, and I already had an idea of how to make one." Well, that wasn't completely true. It took two hours of studying the invisibility property of the Death Ring, and was only thanks to his Mage Sight, large magic reserves, and link to Death (who was happy to help), that Neo was able to make it at all. But all considered, Neo felt better that he had something to give Percy to help the demigod while he was gone. Now that Neo thought about it, Tony could have probably used one too, but then again, the man was too flashy to hide from danger even when his life depended on it.

"Thanks," Percy said as he took the gift out of the box and draped the chain around his neck. "It's warm," he said in surprise.

"Yeah that's because of the magic in it, I spelled the chain to be unbreakable except for that one link, and that one will only break when you want it to. But I added another charm; I made sure that you can't misplace it by accident, and that when you're in the water it won't slip off," Neo explained, "All of the power used for the spells makes it warm to the touch. And with that last charm it should be harder for you to lose it, but you are a teenager so I'm not holding my breath."

"Ha ha," Percy voiced sarcastically as he gave Neo an annoyed look, "Now get out of here, so I can start missing you already," he finished as he gave the god a good natured shove to his shoulder.

"I always knew you cared," Neo quipped before he turned toward Loki.

The Asgardian Prince let his magic enfold the three younger gods in his power as he pulled them into the old passages between worlds. And just like that, the four gods were gone. Luke guided a slightly solemn Son of Poseidon back to camp for breakfast. He may have been a little concerned for his half-brother, but Luke was pretty sure that, out of everyone who could have volunteered to save Asgard, Neo was probably the most likely to make it back.

 ***Break***

Traveling the old passages left the group feeling disoriented. The relevance of time was different, as the universe around them seemed to move at light speed but it felt like it took forever to get anywhere. A shift in course left them spiraling through the Universe, and the gods started to panic. They seemed to spin faster and faster through the Cosmos, but their journey was abruptly halted when they came crashing down on something soft.

Sitting up, Loki was the first one to realize where they were. The dimly lit room they were in seemed to be a bedroom, which had all of the usual furniture (bed, dresser, vanity and chair, dressing screen, etc.) that would have appeared normal in their mostly black coloring had it not been for the larger than normal size. The bed that they had landed on was so large in fact that all four of them fit on it comfortably without touching the sides.

"This is new," a voice commented from beside them. It was Hela, who had just walked out of what looked like an adjoining bathroom. Her large figure, which was twice as tall as Loki, was clothed in a dark green dressing gown. Her completely white gaze fell heavily on them, "I do not usually receive visitors in this part of my palace. What has brought you here so suddenly?"

"We were traveling the old paths to Asgard when I sensed a detection spell placed around the realm. I could sense that it was Odin's power. No doubt he is wary after the release of my sons, but it is strange that he only recently took such precautions. I have traveled to Asgard after Jormungandr was released and they had not been present. Our presence on Asgard was supposed to go unnoticed, so I was forced to steer us away or be found. It was reckless of me, we could have ended up anywhere in the Universe."

Hela walked behind the dressing screen and the soft movement of cloth could be heard as she spoke, "Odin may be a paranoid old-fool, but I am almost certain his wariness is due to the Coronation and not the freeing of my brothers. If you were to take the normal paths to Asgard you would easily slip past the All-Father's eye. So, Fate must have brought you here, for I know how to get you in."

Hela came back into sight dressed in a beautiful gown, it was fit for a Queen and was black and emerald green with gold accents. She wore her long black tresses in an up-do that was pinned into place by gold hairpins. And the jewelry she wore was also gold with large emeralds inlaid into the metal.

"Of course, when I say you, I mean you, Loki, and the Son of Thor. It would be too easy for the All-Father to sense Fenrir and Jormungandr as soon as they entered his realm, but your magic has learned to disguise itself well from Odin. Neo is another option simply because his natural association to Death which Odin is not familiar with, and because he has already been using his magic to hide since he was a child. You two are the only ones among us in this room who could possibly sneak past Odin and Heimdall's ever watchful eyes."

Loki caught the subtle meaning of her words, and with the way she was dressed he had to ask, "Are you going to the Coronation?"

"Naturally, as the ruler of Helheim I was asked to bear witness to the Crowning of Odin's Heir, and it just so happens that a Queen is allowed to be accompanied by her hand-maidens," Hela's smile was ominous.

'This isn't going to be good,' Neo thought when he saw how Loki had gone slightly pale at his daughter's words.

A few minutes later Neo found out how right he was. Hela had convinced Loki that it would be easy for him and Neo to go as women, and unfortunately with their godly power they had little excuse not to.

However, Neo was confused, "If we use an illusion won't they notice that we are using magic?"

Hela was the one who answered, "Who said anything about using illusions? In ancient times the gods had no forms. As beings of conscious thought, gods simply existed without a tangible form. When they chose to interact with mortals, the gods took on visible appearances making it possible for mortals to perceive them. Some chose a masculine appearance and others chose a feminine appearance based on their nature and preference. You may not have started out your existence as a god, Neo, but you do have the powers of a god and the ability to change your form."

Jormungandr gave Neo a questioning look, "Haven't you noticed that Fenrir and I have different appearances from the first time you met us?"

"Yeah, but I just figured you guys were shape-shifters, or using some kind of godly form of the animagus spell," Neo admitted.

"Wow, who knew he was so slow," Fenrir teased.

Neo glared at Fenrir while retaliating, by sending a stinging hex that hit the wolf god on the tip of his ear. Fenrir yelped in pain and was quick to seek payback, but before he could Loki interrupted the small fight.

"Enough, there is no time for silly squabbles, we need to hurry before we are too late to stop the Frost Giants," Loki declared.

It took a while for Neo to understand the basics of changing form. When they were done Neo and Loki had transformed into women of godly beauty. It was probably due to Loki's sense of pride and vanity, but his female form was a gorgeous black haired and green eyed woman that put many Asgardians to shame. So it was no different for Neo's female form. Since he decided to shape his form in a similar way to Hela and Loki, Neo's female figure was tall, voluptuous, and had defined feminine strength (think gorgeous Amazon). Neo's normally dark hair had become a beautiful dark chocolate waterfall that cascaded wave over wave to mid-back with highlights the color of cinnamon, and the dark tresses seemed as soft as silk. Emerald eyes the same color as Death's had become more enchanting, due to the eyelids being more almond-shaped with long fanning lashes. Neo's skin was still slightly olive colored, and his face was youthful, making him look somewhere between 17 to 24 years old. All three "goddesses" standing together were a breathtaking sight. ( **At this point Loki and Neo will be referred to as she/her** )

Then Hela gifted Loki and Neo with two gowns that had knee length skirts and were easy to move in if they needed to fight. There was a forest green dress with gold embroidery for Loki, and a deep red with gold embroidery for Neo. And when Neo put on her jacket to cover her exposed arms, the jacket changed into armor that was fit for a female warrior. Golden armor had appeared around Neo's torso like a corset, chainmail covered her exposed chest, light and strong metal gauntlets covered her hands and forearms, and Neo's boots were now high heeled with gold metal plates and shin guards. Her now matching red cape was in place and completed a look that was appropriate for a Queen's handmaiden/bodyguard. Loki donned a similar golden armor with green cape.

Neo was fidgeting, because Hela had made her dress just like any other woman. It was different wearing women's clothes, and Neo was having the strange thought to ask how she looked. It wasn't like she had a problem with the clothes, but Neo knew that she had never had good fashion sense.

"I thought the idea of a disguise was to not be noticed." Fenrir stated with a confused frown.

"Well that's true," Jormungandr agreed, "but if the disguise is distracting enough to draw attention were you want it then it will also work. Just think; Odin is wary of an attack correct? So it is better to take on the form of a woman, because the warriors of Asgard do not view them as a threat. A beautiful woman is seen as even less of a threat, since they appear so delicate. And when a man is too busy looking at your chest to see the weapon in your hand, he is easy prey."

Neo raised an eyebrow, "It sounds like you've done this before," she stated.

Jormungandr had a suspicious twinkle in his eyes as he gave a noncommittal shrug, "How could I? I've been stuck in the Midgard Seas, remember?"

"Come," Hela said, but she did not give the other two time to understand her meaning. She grabbed Loki and Neo before appearing in the entrance hall of Asgard's royal palace.

The sudden arrival was noticed by the guard who had reached for their weapons on instinct before they saw it was the Queen of Helheim. It was obvious when Hela's presence became known; guests and guards alike seemed to all take a step back. Neo didn't know wither to chuckle or sneer at their lack of tact. At that moment it was obvious why Hela held no love for Asgard or its people.

"Leave me," Hela dismissed Loki and Neo as if they were really her servants, "I will call if I have need of you," and then she walked away without giving them time to answer.

"What now?" Neo asked quietly.

"I must find Amora and see if she has made her move yet. You will stay her and keep your eyes open, but if you see her, stay far away," Loki ordered sternly before she wondered off into the crowd and was out of sight.

Neo looked around her. Biting her lip Neo muttered to herself, "But what am I supposed to do here?"

A voice speaking from behind Neo startled her, "Don't you look like a little lost lamb? Tell me fair maiden, what has put such a troubled expression on your lovely visage?"

Neo caught sight of the man behind her as she turned. He was dressed in decorative armor over his green ensemble. The man's golden hair was expertly coiffed, and he had a well groomed goatee. His charming smile almost reminded Neo of that fake, Lockhart, but he also seemed to be a gentleman in his manners as he gave Neo a polite bow.

"I am hardly fair and your flattery is unnecessary, but if you must know I am here acting as Queen's guard." Neo said a little icily, trying to communicate her wish for the man to leave by acting cold.

It looked like it would take more than a cold tone to get rid of the man, when he spoke again to Neo in his charming voice, "A Queen's guard, truly? I have not seen you in Asgard before. Is it possible that you serve another kingdom? Then surly a beauty such as you must come from the realm of the elves, Alfheim. I beg you tell me your name, my lady, for I Fandral have met many fair maidens but all pale in comparison to thy beauty."

"You are wrong on both accounts," Neo said while giving Fandral a frosty look.

"My lady?" he questioned.

Neo saw two other warriors approaching and they arrived before she spoke, "You are wrong to assume that I care whom you find beautiful, and again you are wrong to assume I am from Alfheim."

The large man with an impressive red beard who had come to join them decided to interrupt, "Well of course you're not! You have a sturdier build than an elf, and I have not seen a light elf with such dark hair. That could only mean that you are from Vanaheim, am I right?"

The man's jovial voice had a booming tone but he was so much like the gentle giant Hagrid that Neo instantly liked him. The memory of her first wizard friend made Neo smile and when she spoke again her tone was friendly and her voice carried her happy feelings, "Wrong again, but I think I will allow you a third try."

This time the dark haired and somber looking man spoke, "Valkyrie," he said with a slight accent and grumbling voice.

Fandral snickered, "Hogan, do not be ridiculous, she is too sweet to be a Valkyrie. I am more inclined to agree with Volstagg."

"It seems that today is not your lucky day," Neo's smile turned into a smirk as she thought about their reactions to what she was about to say, "I am here as guard to lady Hela, Queen of Helheim."

Neo was right; the three warriors' reactions were priceless. Fandral almost swallowed his tongue in disbelief and Volstagg's bushy eyebrows had made a valiant effort to touch his hairline, even the stone-faced Hogan seemed a little surprised (even if his face didn't move) as he stared at the woman in front of him.

"I thought only the dead served her?" questioned a voice from behind Volstagg, who moved to reveal a black haired woman in red and silver warrior's garb. The new arrival was shorter than Neo, but that didn't stop the woman from trying to intimidate the Heir of Thor.

Neo gave the woman a glare for her rudeness, "And yet I am not; that is the point you are trying to make. Does that concern you, the fact that I am not a ghost or likewise deceased?"

"No, what concerns me is the fact that you are trying to lie to my friends," the woman declared.

"If I am going to be accused of lying, l believe I have a right to know my accusers name," Neo countered.

The woman seemed to straighten even more in a show of superiority, "I am Sif, goddess of War, and friend of the Warriors Three," she said gesturing to the three men, "and we are friends to Thor Odinson. Who are you, besides someone who lies as easily as Loki?"

Neo's anger almost made her lash out at the snobbish woman, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. Hela's voice came from high above Neo's shoulder, "You seem to have made new friends, Thyra. You should introduce us," Hela commanded.

Neo felt her anger simmering under the surface of her skin, but she complied with the request, "Queen Hela, allow me to introduce you to the Warriors Three and Lady Sif. Warriors, Lady Sif, I present to you her highness Queen Hela, Ruler of Helheim." Neo knew the customary old-time speech, but it still felt forced and she could not wait to get back to Earth so she could start talking like a modern person again.

"Pleasure," Hela greeted the four, "Thyra, try not to let your new friends keep you from your duties, but since I do not have need of you at present, you may speak to them for awhile longer." Then Hela was gone as quickly as she had arrived.

Neo accepted Hela's appearance for the save that it was, and apparently Hela had even thought of an alias. Thyra, Neo pondered and in her head thoughts of what it meant surfaced; Thyra means "like thunder", and was derived from Thor, which fit one of the ways of traditionally naming children. It was a big hint, but Neo also doubted that anyone from Asgard would understand the significance, since they all thought that Thor did not have a child at this moment.

"That proves you work for Hela," Sif admitted, "but the fact that she could touch you means you are likely a well preserved corpse. So, perhaps your beauty is a mere illusion, little Liar?"

Sif's words would not have mattered any other day, because Neo had been called a liar before and she was able to handle it; but when Sif insulted her looks, it set off a switch in Neo's mind and she felt exactly like any other girl, slightly self-conscious and completely offended.

Neo was again ready to strike Sif and as she swung her fist at the Asgardians face Fandral and Volstagg intervened. Fandral backed Sif away and saved her nose from being broken by the force Neo put behind her punch. With the first blow going harmlessly through the air Neo struck out with the other hand.

Volstagg tried to block Neo's fist with an open palm, and being almost as strong as Thor it would have been easy to stop a woman. Unfortunately the warrior misjudging the power of his opponent, but he was able to save his hand from injury by deflecting the force out of his palm and down. Volstagg's temporary shock, at the girl's strength, left him unable to stop Neo as she attacked again.

The last failed attack put Neo in a position where a spinning kick was the only thing that would reach Sif. Neo pivoted then spun and aimed her heal. Fandral and Sif moved farther back when they saw the graceful (and deceptively powerful) attack coming. Hogun moved and blocked the blow with his forearm guards, and he too was taken by surprise when the strong kick impacted with the metal on his arms and sent him stumbling back and falling to the ground.

Neo stopped when she realized she had hurt two unintentional targets and it seemed that Fandral was still blocking Sif from her. Neo glared heatedly at Sif, "Do not call me a liar again, or no one will be able to stand in my way."

"You are a fool to threaten me, little girl," Sif said with a sneer.

"I am not threatening you," Neo paused and offered a hand to Hogun. When he accepted Neo helped him up before she turned toward Sif again, "It was a simple promise."

"Do you have a quarrel with my friend, young one?" a new voice asked. It seemed that Neo was doomed to a day of people popping up out of nowhere; Neo was starting to think "Nowhere" existed as a parallel dimension that acted like a one way mirror, and allowed people to perfectly time when to sneak-up behind someone.

"Not until the second time she insulted me," Neo replied angrily.

"I did no such thing, Thor," Sif denied, "This girl is a liar and should be taken to the dungeons for attacking a member of Asgard."

Neo turned around to look at the man behind her, and sure enough, it was her father. Thor too recognized the person in front of him. Neo's female form looked slightly like Thor's own female form, with the red streaks in her hair and a face that had taken on features resembling Lilly Potter.

"I am Thyra, Lord Odinson, and I am no liar, I swear," Neo said, and hoped Thor would realize what she was calling herself, "I admit to raising my hand, but I did so to defend my honor. I realize it was a foolish action, but I am known for such foolishness due to my temper. I would also like to apologize for not hitting my target and instead hitting Volstagg and Hogun."

Neo turned and lowered her head gravely, "Please forgive me."

"That's not necessary," Volstagg said.

"No need to apologize," stated Hogun.

"Do you see how her silver tongue does not offer amends for attacking me, Thor?" Sif accused.

Neo twitched and almost advanced toward Sif, but Thor had stopped Neo with a firm grasp on her shoulder, "I did apologize…to the people who matter. If you expect me to make amends to you, you will die waiting."

Thor was tired of being confused, and was ready to get to the bottom of things, "What lies do you speak of, Sif?"

Sif faltered enough that Neo caught it before the Asgardian woman spoke, "She claims to be one of the Guards accompanying Hela," Sif spat out the goddess of Death's name like a curse, "since she is not dead then she is obviously lying, because none who exist in Helheim are among the living. When this insufferable girl refused to admit she was lying I pointed out the truth, if she is not a liar then she is obviously a corpse in disguise."

'Oh I'm in disguise alright, you two-faced wench,' Neo thought as she pulled away from Thor.

"Perhaps I can help in finding answers," Fandral said with a charming smile, "Out of all of us, I do have the most experience with the fairer sex. I'm willing to use that knowledge to get to the bottom of this."

"Why, do you prefer the bottom?" Neo asked. In the pause that followed, she too realized what had come out of her mouth, and smirked.

Volstagg's booming laugh was quickly joined by Thor's and even Hogun (acting as grim as usual) let out a cough as he found humor in what the young woman said.

The laughter of his friends did not offend Fandral. He laughed along with his friends before replying, "I am a gentleman, my lady, and it is my duty to accommodate all of the fair maidens of this realm. So, if that is what you prefer, I will oblige you."

The obvious innuendo did not escape the notice of the rest of the group, and while Neo blushed uncontrollably Thor had tightened his fist. As a Father it was Thor's right to protect his child's innocence even from his own friends and he would have confronted Fandral, blowing Neo's disguise, but he was stopped when the ceremonial bell rang and signaled everyone to take their positions.

After everyone left, Neo found Hela again and moved with her to the audience area. Hela stood in the back like she did at many of the gatherings that took place of Asgard. The sour look on her face, showed Neo what she thought about this arrangement. Neo was very impressed with this room just like the rest of Agard, but the vast space made anyone standing in the back unable to see what was happening closer to the Throne. Neo's godly eyesight could just make out Odin sitting on his golden Throne.

The Coronation started out like any other official gathering; real and fake cheers, mostly fake smiles, some bowing and a bunch of official mumbo-jumbo that made Neo want to invest in ear plugs. Then the ceremony was interrupted when Odin felt a disturbance in his weapon's vault. It didn't take long after Odin suddenly left, for the Coronation to be dismissed and most of the guests left with disappointed looks on their faces.

"I will be leaving now," Hela announced when Loki had rejoined her and Neo, "I have things to take care of in my own kingdom, and I can't waste my time here. I feel I should warn you that some of the Frost Giants are close to Death's Door, but you still have time to change that. Good luck," she said before disappearing.

Neo turned to Loki, "What now?" he asked.

Loki pulled Neo into an almost abandoned dining hall before he responded, "We need to stop Thor from attacking Jotunheim, as Amora plans. If she succeeds in driving him into a blind rage we won't be able to stop a War between the Nine Realms."

"But, how are we…" Neo started to question, but he was interrupted by Thor who came storming in. (pun intended)

Neo and the real Loki watched from the other side of the room as the fake Loki/Amora tried to charm Thor into committing genocide. When Sif, Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogun showed-up Thor tried to convince them to join him, but Loki knew how to stop them.

"I have to tell Odin, he is the only one who can stop Thor now. I'm counting on you to make sure they do not leave Asgard," Loki said before turned invisible and leaving.

Thor had just finished asking his friends to follow him into battle again when everyone heard a voice from the far corner, "You're joking, right?" Neo said as she stepped from the shadows.

The fake Loki looked at the new person in annoyance. Amora felt that her plan was working well, but she had made the mistake of thinking the room was completely clear.

"They attacked first," Thor reasoned.

"So you're going to start a War, just because someone ruined your party. Maybe Odin chose the wrong day to crown you as heir, because you still sound like a child," Neo said cruelly.

"Have care what you say, I do not take insult lightly!"

"It's only insulting if it's true," Neo said while giving her Father a stony look. "But if it takes you proving my point before you listen to reason, then by your leave continue. We will all see what comes of your actions."

Hogun was the first to understand what Neo meant, "You will come with us?"

"It would seem I have to, because this is a fool's errand and the only one who is making sense is being ignored," Neo said nodding to the fake Loki, even thought he knew this whole thing was Amora's fault, "Hopefully, with two people willing to explain the folly of this mission, someone will be able to stop this insanity."

"Then we have another to join us in battle," Thor stated before the lead the company out to the horses.

Neo stood next to Thor, who was out of earshot of the others, "You have the power to fly, right? Why don't you just fly to the Bifrost?" Neo asked.

The large Asgardian looked at his child before he spoke, "That is because I wish to start out every quest side-by-side with my friends. While I am happy that you would join me, even after your words in the hall, I must ask why you are here."

"It will be easier to explain it to you later," is all Neo said as the stable boy walked-up with the horses, "and safer," Neo said to herself when she saw the fake Loki mount the real Loki's horse. The only good thing about spending time around the fake god of Mischief was that Neo could now sense Amora's magic and tell it apart from Loki's.

"It seems you are without horse, Lady Thyra. May I offer my assistance, it would be my pleasure to ride into battle with a beautiful maiden such as you," Fandral offered in his usual charming way.

Neo was tempted to accept the offer, but she was distracted by a familiar whiney. Looking up Neo saw the white shape coming towards them. The Guards became alert as the form came closer but none of them were able to stop the creature from landing next to the riders. Dust was thrown into the air as gray wings stirred the air and hoof beats sounded on the ground.

The dust settled to reveal one of Neo's new friends, whom Neo greeted happily, "Hello Constance, now how did you get here?"

" _I flew, of course,_ " the Pegasus brayed haughtily as if that explained everything.

Neo chuckled then raised herself into Constance's saddle, before she finally spoke to Fandral, "It appears I will not need your assistance after all."

Fandral looked over at his friends curiously and the only answer he got came from Hogun, "Valkyrie," the unexpressive man grumbled.

The horses and riders where soon traveling across the Bifrost to the Gate. They quickly arrived at the Gate where the Gatekeeper stood, and Neo tried hard to hide his own signature from the powerful being. The Asgardians dismounted and left their horses on the Bifrost, but Constance would not leave Neo's side.

"I know what you are here for Odinson, and I will not allow you to pass," Heimdall said after they walked through the archway of the Gate.

"Do you seek to stop me?" Thor asked with anger in his voice.

"No, because the All-Father will," Heimdall answered at the same time that Odin entered behind them.

Odin rebuked Thor for his childishness, and almost instantly Thor was stripped of his powers and banished to Midgard. Neo watched as her father was thrown back into the Bifrost and fear stabbed her heart, she had to look on as the now spelled weapon went flying through the portal after Thor. The new god didn't even think before she was reacting.

The "Daughter" of Thor jumped onto the back of the Pegasus beside her and rode after her Father. No one was able to stop her and even Odin was curious about the young woman who had followed Thor into exile.

In the chaos of the Rainbow Bridge transporting them to Midgard Neo followed the magic signature of the hammer. When Constance landed next to the battle hammer Neo realized that Thor was nowhere around. That was when Neo finally let her curiosity get the best of her. Wondering exactly what Odin had done, Neo looked at the enchantment on Mjolnir.

"Just great," Neo said in annoyance. Odin was trying to enchant the Hammer with a spell that had a major loophole, like the rest of his spells. The spell had to be altered before it became permanent, or it would cause major trouble in the future. The only problem was Neo had no idea what to do, "Well I guess it's a good thing I'm not above asking for help, Mom!"

A laugh came from beside Neo as Hecate stepped from the shadows. "No need to shout I was already here, sweetheart. It's not easy to miss the power of the Bifrost, especially since Asgard makes it a point to avoid contact with Earth."

"Sorry, I just figured you would still be in the Underworld," Neo admitted sheepishly.

"I do not have to stay there like Persephone. I am a ruler of the Underworld so I can come and go as I please. But enough with the technicalities, why did you try to call me?" Hecate asked.

"Odin has placed an enchantment on Mjolnir, but it's got a big loophole. It says that anyone worthy would have the power of Thor. Doesn't that mean if Thor ever felt that he was unworthy the hammer wouldn't work for him? Something as stupid as a stray thought could get him killed!" Neo exclaimed. It was too easy for someone to feel "unworthy" and it was dangerous to enchant a god's weapon with anything but a loyalty enchantment.

"You're right," Hecate frowned before she continued, "I'm afraid my power will be of little help, however; the powers of the gods of Asgard may be magic but it is unlike the magic of Earth. Æsir magic has evolved separately from Earth magic, meaning I have no power over their magic. Our Pantheons are different and the closet Asgard and Olympus could get to affecting each other's powers are to fight against each other, but still some spells would be nullified or ineffective. There is nothing I can do, but that doesn't mean I will not help; my magic may not work against this enchantment, but I am still knowledgeable in the ways of magic and as the Child of Thor you posses the ability to use Æsir magic, so I can teach you how to remove the spell."

Neo knew she would have to work all night to fix Odin's mess, again, and would not have time to look for her father. So, she set up a ward around the area to keep out everyone else mortal, immortal, or otherwise. Then Hecate and her Chosen Child got to work.

The first thing to do was remove the enchantment that Odin cast. It wasn't easy and took most of the night. Neo had to transfer the enchantment to another object, which Hecate said was "a simple trick that has worked for millennia" but it was time consuming. Choosing a hand sized stone off of the ground Neo used it to hold Odin's spell. Once the enchantment was removed from the battle hammer both women breathed a sigh. They were not finished yet because Neo thought that Odin was right about one thing; Thor needed to learn a little humility again, so Neo did a little enchanting of her own. Just like Marvápn, Mjolnir would now be loyal to its true Master, Thor, forever. But, so that Odin's lesson could be learned, Neo didn't leave the weapon for Thor to find she left the enchanted rock in the shape of Mjolnir.

Hecate gave Neo a hug after their little Mother-"Daughter" bonding time. "You did so well. I am very proud of you, and look at how beautiful you are," Hecate said as she held Neo at arm's length, "I was worried about all the girls that would want a piece of you, now I have to worry about all of the boys too!"

"About boy's…"Neo paused (it was a little strange finally having the chance to talk about who Neo liked with her parent), "I actually found a soulmate."

"Oh, I know that," Hecate said unfazed.

That was a surprise to Neo, "What? How did you find out?"

"I'm a god, we spend most of our time watching our children because we honestly have nothing better to do," the goddess admitted. "We could run this world in our sleep, which Apollo has actually done before, and as you know the scandals and gossip on Olympus is old news. If anything new happens in our monotonous lives now it involves our children."

Neo laughed, "You make being a god sound boring."

Hecate shrugged before she guided Neo down to the ground, and had Neo sit in front while Hecate sat down behind her. Neo felt a comb being pulled through her hair. Hecate started speaking while she brushed Neo's hair, "Well, it wouldn't be if Zeus had not restricted contact between the gods and their children. I mean the world is constantly changing and that can be interesting, but we are immortal so to us time can go by in the blink of an eye, and at a snail's pace, at the same time. There is little to improve around Olympus due to its "perfection", so nothing is new. The only joy some gods find in the mortal world are their relationships with mortals and watching their children grow, but Zeus had to take the joy out of that by denying the gods that experience firsthand. It is torture for some of the gods and goddesses, who can't comfort their children when they have nightmares, or see the bright smiles of their children directed at them."

"Then why am I an exception? I've talked to you and Dad before," Neo wondered aloud.

"There are some gods whose duties involve contact with their children, such as Dionysis and Hermes, and others who are sneaky about their meetings with their children. While the rest fear Zeus' wrath too much to even try. I am the only god who blatantly disregards that law without fear of repercussions, because when it comes to Zeus and I, HE is the one who fears ME and for good reason." Hecate said as she braided Neo's hair. When the brown locks were secured with a tied ribbon Hecate stood. "And remember you are not a demigod anymore, you are the first god of Eternia and one day ruler of your own Pantheon."

"You should rest, I have a feeling you will have an interesting day tomorrow. Goodnight," the goddess of Magic placed a kiss on Neo's forehead before she left.

After Hecate left, Neo decided to text her family to tell them she was fine; so first Neo texted Luke, who was in charge of telling everyone at Camp Half-Blood, then she texted Hermes and Tony.

" _Get some sleep, young one, there is no telling what an Asgardian can get up to. You will need your strength for tomorrow_ ," Constance said when Neo was finally done. Constance may not say it, but Neo knew that the winged-horse was actually worried about her well being. So she figured a few hours of sleep before sunrise wouldn't hurt, and when that thought crossed her mind Neo was asleep on a patch of dirt in the middle of New Mexico.

 ***Break***

As her Asgardian Father woke up in a Midgard hospital, Neo awoke with the Sun in her eyes and desert sand up her nose and covering her from head to toe (so it was debatable who was having the worse morning).

Neo cast some cleaning charms and freshening charms on her and her clothes before she did the same to Constance who was complaining about dirt in her feathers. With the hammer Mjolnir tucked safely into her locket, Neo changed the armor she wore back into black leather boots, and her black leather jacket with a red strip going up one sleeve across the shoulders and down the other arm. The deep red silk dress that Hela gave her was the same as before, with a sweeping neckline that exposed two inches of cleavage but covered the rest of her ample chest, and ended at her knee.

Finally ready to face a new day, Neo took down the ward she had constructed last night, and cast a tracking charm to find her Father. Once the young god was in the Pegasus' saddle, Constance took off in the direction Neo had pointed.

They were just in time to see two women and a man put Thor in the back of their van. Neo spoke when Constance landed on the ground next to the three mortals, "What are you doing with my Father?"

The three jumped and turned around when they heard a voice, to see a young woman riding a horse. Neo raised an eyebrow when she noticed that the dark brunette had pulled out a taser gun.

"Who are you?" the man asked. He reminded Neo of a college professor.

"I'm the bloody President," Neo looked at their shocked faces before she rolled her eyes, "I just told you who I am, that's my father, so obviously that makes me his daughter. But just to be polite my name is Neo. Now, I believe I asked my question first; what are you doing with my Father? And just for giggles, who are you?"

"I'm Dr. Jane Foster, this is Dr. Eric Selvig and my assistant Darcy Lewis. We wanted to ask your Father what he was doing in that wormhole we saw last night. Your Father wouldn't happen to be a diagnosed delusional patient by chance, would he? It's just he was saying some pretty weird things last night before Darcy tased him," Jane asked.

Neo's right eyebrow raised in question, "Not the last time I checked, but my Grandfather is a whole different bag of cats," Neo said to Jane, then looking at Darcy asked, "You tased him?"

"Yes, I did," the brunette admitted smugly.

Neo laughed "Oh, I'm never going to let him live this down."

"Well the guy totally went "screaming maniac" on us, I wasn't going to let that turn into "crazy killer", you know?" Darcy replied.

"Wait, seriously, you tased him because you thought he was acting crazy?" Neo said letting her bubbling laughter escape after she was done speaking.

Eric interrupted their banter, "Excuse me ladies, I think now would be a good time to leave," and that was when hospital security came out the front doors.

Seeing the orderlies, Jane nodded and looked at Neo, "Right. Look your Dad's not hurt, we checked, so why don't you come with us and we can talk back at the lab?"

Shrugging, Neo waved a finger in a circle as she said, "Sure, just point me in the right direction."

Jane showed her the way to go and gave her some directions before she got into the van and pulled out. Neo followed above them since Constance preferred traveling long distances in the air, and thanks to the mist no one on the ground realized there was a Pegasus flying over their heads.

Neo made it to the lab before Jane's van, which made the scientists wonder how the horse and rider had made it to their research building first.

The group decided to make the new comers comfortable until Thor woke up, so Darcy was told to grab a bucket full of water for Constance, while Eric and Neo helped to bring Thor into the building and lay him down in Jane's room.

"You certainly are stronger than you look, young lady. I couldn't have moved him by myself, and I have a feeling I wasn't much help anyway," Eric stated as he slumped against the wall breathing hard.

The elderly man was right, Neo had done most of the lifting by grabbing Thor under the arms and taking the weight of his upper body, but Eric had made a valiant effort in carrying Thor's legs (which had been difficult for the mortal to carry).

"Don't worry, you helped, I'm just stronger than I look," she replied calmly, "So what kind of research do you guys do here?"

Darcy spoke before Eric could reply, "All of the boring kind. I'm honestly convinced they were so bored they decided to conduct a side experiment on interns. Something like, "How long will it take before the intern dies of boredom", because misery loves company," the brunette said while playing on her cell phone.

"I told you before, Darcy, you can always drop the intern credit and go home," Jane told the whining woman.

"Jane , Darcy, not that again please," Eric pleaded.

The young god just shook her head with a smile on her face, the three people in front of her may look like they were arguing but they reminded her of Remus and Sirius, who would always be friends.

They all heard the loud groan come from Jane's room.

"Looks like Father's awake," Neo said before waltzing into the bedroom. The sight of Thor sitting in a bed that was almost two feet shorter than him in a paper hospital gown was priceless, and before Neo was fully conscious of what she was doing, she had pulled out her phone and taken a picture. "I'm as bad as Loki and Hermes," she told herself before putting the phone away and walking up to the bed.

Thor saw her approach and relaxed at the familiar face, "Why have you come here? Did Odin banish you as well, my child?"

"No I chose to tag along, to make sure you don't cause a major intergalactic incident. I say this with love and respect, but as is stands you've already been run over twice, and tased by a mortal half your size because she thought you were crazy. The best we can hope for now is that your social awkwardness doesn't get you killed," Neo smile sweetly.

"I do believe you have insulted me," Thor said sternly, "But I am aware that your words ring true, for you have been on Midgard longer and more recently than I."

"I love you, so I'm not going to lie to you, but I'm sorry if I seem harsh. It's just that things have changed and Midgard is not how you remember it," Neo told her Father.

"Verily, but tell me, why have you taken this form?"

"Just a disguise to get into Asgard without fuss, It was Loki's idea. Loki came to me and asked for help to stop an imposter who was disguised as him on Asgard. The same imposter who tried to kill Loki more than two weeks ago, and was planning to have you start a War with Jotunheim. You where about to do exactly what the imposter wanted before Odin banished you. So far Asgard has not made a move against Jotunheim for the thieves that were found, which shows both leniency and arrogance and is an expected move from Asgard," Neo quickly explained.

A look of concern showed on Thor's face as he asked, "Who is this imposter that would attack a Prince of Asgard, and how does my brother fare?"

"Loki is fine. The attack happened after he left for Jotunheim. The Frost Giants had set up an ambush but Loki was expecting it. What he wasn't expecting was to return to Asgard and find the double he left in his place dead. When Loki went to see why the guards had not raised the alarm he found an imposter speaking with Odin. Later he found out that Amora, the Enchantress, had taken his place. She wanted to have the Frost Giants ruin your Coronation so that you would attack. She hopes that a War with Jotunheim would end in their destruction and Asgard's victory, so when you take over as King of Asgard you will have already defeated your enemies. What is even stranger is the fact that her plans will cost the lives of many Asgardians but I do not know if she can be called a traitor, because Amora has deluded herself into believing that what she does is out of love for you."

Thor had gone silent after Neo's explanation, so he could think about what he had been told, "I know of who you speak, but I hold no affection for that woman. I do not know why she has concocted such fantasies," Thor told his child solemnly.

"Look, it will take time for you to wrap your head around what I said and our gracious hosts are waiting for us. Why don't you think about it while you change into something a little more suited for a human?" Neo looked in the closet for the clothes Jane had mentioned and pulled out some that she thought might fit her father. "Here try these on, I'll wait outside."

"What do you believe should be done about Amora's treachery?" Thor asked suddenly.

"Amora believes that everything she is doing, she does for the good of Asgard and you. That being said "the road to Hell is paved with good intentions" and she still understands that her actions are wrong. She is aware of the price for her misdeeds (the punishments that she will suffer if she is found out). Amora has already chosen her path, now she will live with the consequences…But you asked what I think should be done;" she took in a deep breath and let it out in a huff, "Amora is ready to start a War that would take the lives of many innocents, and end in the annihilation of one or more worlds. So I say; let the gods of Asgard punish her, because I would leave her to the mercy of Death," were Neo's final words before she turned and left the room.

 ***Break***

After Thor said he was hungry (well his exact words were something like "I need sustenance", but it translated easily enough). They found themselves at Rosa's Diner. The scientists had chosen a four seat table so Neo was forced to pull up a chair at the corner between Thor and Darcy. It was a blessing that the food was good and Neo felt less twitchy with a full stomach, of course that meant she had already ordered four full breakfasts and was on her sixth cup of tea. Neo hadn't really been paying attention to the conversation but she saw Thor raise something in his hand and send it hurling down to the ground. Her Seeker reflexes kicked in and Neo was able to save the poor mug from its untimely demise.

"Remember what I said about the times changing? People stopped smashing the earthenware in this country a long time ago; it's more polite to speak your compliments to the chief and ask for seconds," Neo informed the Prince.

"I meant no disrespect. Servant!" Thor yelled across the dining area, "More food for my friends and I."

Neo face palmed as she mumbled into her hand, "And we don't call the working class "servants", she's the waitress, but that's okay because you'll get it eventually. If you don't one of the women are going to slap you."

Blocking out the rest of the conversation, Neo focused on wolfing down her food and trying to get the waitress' attention so she could have her tea re-filled. Darcy had raised her phone up to take a picture of Neo (apparently Darcy thought it was a novelty for a girl to eat as much as Neo) but the new god had placed her finger over the lens before the picture was taken leaving Darcy with a black photo. That was when Thor decided to leave and Neo pulled out some money from her jacket pocket to cover all of the food that had been ordered for all five of them, leaving a large tip for the waitress.

Hours later Neo decided that choosing to follow Thor around town had proven to be a good idea, because the hilarious look on the pet shop attendant's face when the god asked for a horse was priceless. Neo was just about to say they could ride Constance, who would come if she was called, but Jane suddenly pulled up in her van saying something about knowing where Mjolnir was and Thor hopped in before Neo could say anything.

Jane and Thor had been carrying on a conversation for the whole ride uninterrupted by Neo, because she was distracted by the name of the town. Puente Antiguo translated to Ancient Bridge. Was that a coincidence or did that mean the Bifrost had appeared in New Mexico before and the place was like a default destination? Neo's thoughts then strayed to the reason Dr. Foster suddenly chose to help. The young god knew that the mortal woman was more upset about losing her research, than she was about the loss of Thor's precious weapon, but Neo didn't blame Jane; it's hard to watch someone take away your life's work.

The Sun had gone down when they finally pulled up to an overhang that gave a clear view of the containment area. A look of curiosity crossed Neo's face when she noticed Agent Coulson. The Agent made good time from Malibu to New Mexico, but why had Phil been called?

Whatever else she was thinking was forgotten when Neo noticed Thor heading down the slope to the fenced area.

As Neo started to move Jane questioned her, "Where are you going?"

"To make sure no one shoots my culturally inept father. You should head out of here, they're not going to let him go once they capture him," Neo replied before she took off after the Asgardian.

Instead of heading toward the fake hammer, Neo used the ring to turn herself invisible and went to find Coulson. She had just found the head agent when the alarms activated. Listening to Coulson Neo found out that they had no idea what was really going on, which was completely understandable.

As she was following Coulson around a corner another agent came running from the opposite direction. They crashed into each other, and the agent seemed to go from urgent hurry to alert paranoia as he pulled out a weapon and started waving it around.

"Who's there?" the agent said in a firm authoritative tone.

'Okay, this is not good,' Neo thought, 'What am I going to do? Man I feel so stupid. Maybe I can make him forget something he didn't see, wait…," A funny thought occurred to her when she remembered something she had seen on a movie. Molding her magic into a spell similar to the Imperius curse, mixed with legilimancy, Neo raised her hand and stared into the agents eyes.

"Peace, you turned into the hall and did not run into anything. Nothing happened here, and you will carry on with your duties," Neo said gently waving her hand through the air. She knew it was stupid to talk that way but it was similar to the movie so maybe it meant something.

"Nothing happened, I'm going to carry on with my duties," the agent said in a monotone voice with glazed eyes. He seemed to come out of the haze as he passed Neo and shook his head before he started running down the hall again.

"Yes! I'm a total Jedi," she exclaimed quietly before she took off after the head agent again.

When Neo caught up to him, she heard Phil order a sniper to target Thor. It was a surprise when she ran outside to find said sniper in a metal basket with a bow.

When the sniper said something about "slowing him down", Neo chose to interfere. She summoned the arrow, making it look like it disappeared.

"Something strange is going on here, Sir," Hawkeye said when his arrow suddenly vanished. He pulled another arrow and aimed only for that one to disappear too, "Correction, something very strange."

"What's going on, Barton?" Phil asked over the comms.

"I'm not really sure, and I don't want to say anything that might lead to me seeing a department shrink later," the archer replied.

There was a sigh before Phil spoke, "Have you still got eyes on the target?"

"Yes, sir," Clint said before he reached for another arrow, only to have his hand pass through air.

Neo chuckled from her position on the ground under the basket, "Not today my friend," she said as she held up the pack of arrows that should have been on the agents back. She dropped the arrows on the ground for the man to find and followed Thor over to the fake hammer.

As Thor reached for the fake Mjolnir his fingers had barely touched the handle sticking up from the rock when the power of the enchantment pulsed one last time before it broke, as the rock it was cast on dissolved into sand, making Thor think that Mjolnir had turned to dust.

All of the agents surrounding the area watched as Thor collapsed onto the ground, before they picked him up and lead him to an interrogation room.

Phil stopped next to the monitoring equipment and looked at the agent he had spoken to before, "What just happened?"

The agent shrugged his shoulders, "I have no idea. The object spiked in radiation and then it just…disintegrated."

"That's not the strangest thing that's happened," Clint said while he wiped off mud from his quiver of arrows that he found when he got out of the lift.

"What are you talking about, Barton?" Phil questioned.

Clint shook his head, "Like I said I don't really know what happened, sir. I had the target in my sights when my arrow just disappeared, and when I pulled another one it disappeared too. I went to pull another arrow and my quiver had vanished."

"Could it have been the target?" the older agent asked in confusion.

"No, the target was completely unaware that I was there, and preoccupied. I doubt it was him but if he tells you that he's a magician, I might be willing to believe him."

"I'll ask him later," Phil says with his normally dry sarcasm, "Go ahead and stow your weapon, Clint."

Clint walked off to his temporary room to clean his gear before he put it away. It didn't take long for him to notice the two arrows that sat on his bed when his eyes traveled around the room searching for uninvited guests per usual. Keeping an eye open Clint walked over to the arrows and picked them up, both were clean and dry. He felt like someone was having a laugh at his expense, and he was right, Neo caught the look on the agents face and smiled before she teleported to where SHIELD was keeping her father.

Neo stood under the one camera in the room before she deactivated the power of the ring. Then she cast an illusion on herself that would only let Thor see her before she shorted out the camera and other equipment in the room with her electrokinesis.

"So, what happened?" she asked.

"I tried to reclaim the hammer, but I failed," Thor said quietly, and it was the quietest Neo had ever heard him speak.

Neo hated to see the mighty Asgardian so defeated, but she didn't know what had happened. One minute Thor was going to take the hammer and the next it was gone. Neo had felt the enchantment break, and she thought it was because the spell had put too much strain on the rock. Finally she asked a question she already knew the answer to hoping it would make Thor talk to her, "Were you able to find it before they captured you?"

"Yes, but as I reached for the hammer is turned to dust in my hand."

"That happens when people hold onto things too tightly. Maybe you were holding on to your pride as the mightiest Asgardian so tight that the hammer was turned to dust under the strain? Or maybe it found you unworthy?" Neo said.

"I grow weary of these vague questions. What do you mean I am unworthy?"

"Well, I was speaking metaphorically but I could always go for blunt. Mjolnir isn't gone, I took it so that it would be safe, but when you tried to reclaim it the hammer didn't head your call. When Odin sealed your godly power he must have interfered with how Mjolnir recognizes you as its master. Before Odin sent Mjolnir he cast an enchantment on it, I heard him, Odin said, "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of…Thor." Your father sent you hear to teach you a lesson, did you honestly think it would be that easy? Even if I do question his methods, I can't blame Odin for deciding to do something after you almost started a War. If he hadn't stopped you, you would have been responsible for the deaths of countless innocents and caused genocide. You wouldn't want that," Neo wrapped her arms around Thor's neck, "because I know in my heart, that the person who gave birth to me would never want that."

Thor looked grieved as he hugged her back, "Odin spoke of such short comings before my banishment. Have I been so blind to my weaknesses?" Thor paused to think for a moment, "Odin does have his reasons for what he does, and if that is true, then you are perceptive in seeing his plans. There is truth in your words. I reacted in a way unbecoming of a ruler of Asgard. I vow to you, I will work hard to become worthy in the eyes of Odin, and I will strive even harder to become a parent worthy enough to have you for a child."

Neo choked and couldn't reply, so she curled up in Thor's lap and they sat in silence.

When Thor's stomach growled Neo couldn't stop from giggling, which surprised her for a moment (having been a man until then even when using the Poly-juice potion, Neo wasn't used to girly sounds coming from his mouth unless it was a prank by Fred or George). Then Neo's cheeks turned pink when her stomach growled loud enough she thought the agents outside might have heard. She left Thor sitting as she went to find something in the facility to eat.

There was a cafeteria type room that had been setup with quick and easy equipment that ran off of a generator. Military type rations of freeze-dried foods took up most of the supplies, but Neo found almost 50 pounds of refrigerated ground beef, seasonings, buns, and some fresh vegetables for a salad. Some more searching revealed individual bags of chips and other snacks. Then for desert she found packs of Jello in another large refrigerator.

After checking the room for cameras, which surprisingly hadn't been installed in that area, Neo dropped the illusion she had been using so she didn't scare anyone. It may seem backwards but she knew from experience that people react better when they find an intruder, then when they see an object floating in the air. She got to work on setting up the portable grill and started preparing seasoned patties and setting out condiments that had been stored away. Who knew secret agents kept the supplies to make burgers?

The meat sizzled and produced a delicious aroma that wasn't missed by Agent Clint Barton as he passed by the door. He opened the door and found a beautiful brunette in a leather jacket leaning over an electric grill. Her emerald eyes widened when he walked in, and Clint wondered what that was about.

"So burgers for dinner? That's new," he commented as he walked over to the containers that held the disposable plates and cutlery, "But you're not the usual cook."

Neo kept her eyes on the grill as she responded, "Actually, I was only making something for myself and a friend."

"All that food is for two people? Your friend must know how to put it away, but that's fine, I can make my own."

"Well uhm…how about you help me and we can both eat sooner," Neo suggested, "If you don't mind manning the grill I can make more patties for you too." Neo pinched off a piece of cooked meat and held it out to Clint, "Try it and see if you like it."

Neo was surprised when instead of taking it with his hand the man leaned forward and took it into his mouth, kissing Neo's fingertips at the same time.

"Mmhmm," Clint moaned in satisfaction. The blush that appeared on the mystery girl's face was cute, and Clint smiled as he took the spatula out of her hand. "Tastes great, you have yourself a deal, agent…"

Neo thought of what to say because SHEILD already knew about Neo Thorson, finally she said, "Thyra."

"Thyra?" Clint said slowly, letting the name roll off his tongue, "Is that a code name?"

Neo smirked, "That's classified, agent. Strictly need to know."

"Well you can call me Clint, and I'll just have to get the right clearance," he whispered into her ear.

The shiver that went down Neo's spine made her move over to her prep station, "You'll just have to do that, Clint," she said before she bit her lip and got to work.

It didn't take too long to get the meal plated as Neo cleaned up, and Clint's mouth was watering as he held two plates in his hands, "It smells amazing. I may have to corner you in the kitchen again."

"I actually like cooking, so it wouldn't be too hard, but I think next time is your turn," she said shyly. Neo gave a smile to Clint before she left the room.

"You can count on it," Clint said as he walked down the hall in the opposite direction of the girl. Hawkeye was able to find out many things about the other agent, one thing being that she was a very skilled actress, able to act naive and shy. If it hadn't been for the obvious way that her body moved like a trained fighter and her constant awareness Clint would have mistaken her for another intruder. He headed to Coulson's temporary office to offer him the other plate.

Phil looked at his agent when Hawkeye walked through his door, "Something I can do for you Barton?"

"Thought you could use some food, sir," Clint sat the plate for Phil down as he took a seat in front of Phil's desk. He grabbed his burger and finally took a bite. The mouthwatering flavor touched his tongue and sent off a tasty explosion in his mouth.

"This doesn't look like our usual fair. Did you go into town for this, Barton," Phil questioned.

"No, I actually walked in on another agent who offered to make some extra for me if I helped her cook."

Phil furrowed his brow in thought, he didn't remember having any female agent on this assignment, but Clint was cautious enough to have not let their food be poisoned so he decided to set his paperwork aside and eat. When he took his first bite the head agent's eyes widened at the fabulous taste. Phil would have to get the recipe for the seasoning.

While the head agent and archer where enjoying their meal, Thor was also appreciating Neo's cooking, but the Asgardian Prince was interrupted when his brother appeared in the room.

The new god could tell that it was the real Loki, but he did look different in his suit and coat. 'Oh wait,' Neo thought as she finally realized that Loki was a he again. It was at that moment Neo started to wonder why she was still a woman, but she just shrugged to herself.

"I see you have gotten yourself into trouble without me to help you, again." Loki teased his brother, "But things are even worse on Asgard. Amora tried to take the Casket of Winters and deliver it to the Jotuns, but she was stopped by Odin."

"How is that not good news, brother?" Thor asked.

"Because it gets worse. Odin has been putting off the Odin sleep for too long, and he has finally succumbed. With you banished and Odin recuperating, the task of ruling the kingdom would fall to me until you or Odin could take over…" Loki's words were drowned out when he was interrupted.

"And because Amora is pretending to be you, she is the temporary ruler of Asgard," Neo concluded.

Loki nodded, "She has Gungnir and power over all of Asgard with its mightiest weapons at her disposal."

Thor was starting to understand what Loki meant, "She has the power to start her war," he finished.

"So how do we stop her from doing that?" Neo asked, "I mean it's not like we have a reason for her to suddenly changer her plans, right? She wanted to destroy Jotunheim so Thor wouldn't have any enemies as King, so if he's banished is she just going to destroy the Frost Giants and rule Asgard?"

Loki seemed deep in thought before he said, "You're right…be ready for a fight. I know how to stop Amora."

Those where his final words before Loki disappeared from sight. The two gods left in the room looked at each other with matching expressions of curiosity.

"If I know my brother, Loki has come up with a plan, but has forgotten to enlighten the rest of us…again," Thor said.

"So, he does that pretty often?"

"Aye."

 ***Break***

Amora sat on the Throne of Asgard, a smirk graced the face of her disguise. Her plan was working so far, despite some minor hiccups. A War with Jotunheim would be easily influenced by her, as the one with the ruling power no one would question her commands or actions. Once Jotunheim became a threat she would have a reason to resend the order for Thor's banishment, and once the Frost Giants were destroyed the All-Father was the only thing standing in Thor's path to being crowned King. After all of the messy details had been worked out, Amora would dispose of her disguise and sweep in to comfort Thor and win his affection. She had no doubt that her charms would easily have Thor begging her to be his Queen.

Her train of thought was de-railed when the doors to the throne room opened. One of the royal guards rushed across the room to the foot of the stairs leading to the throne. With her focus on the guard Amora missed the Warrior's Three and Sif entering the room through the still open door.

When the guard kneeled at her feet, Amora felt a surge of superiority and she knew at that moment that she would enjoy being the Queen of Asgard.

"Lord Loki, I have an urgent message from Heimdall."

At those words everyone in the room was alert and listening.

"What news does he send?" Amora questioned.

"It seems that your brother has become enthralled by a mortal woman, and may be in danger of not wanting to return to Asgard. This is only one concern, however, as it seems that Thor has also been imprisoned by the Midgardians," the guard said.

Amora clinched her fist in anger, what Midgard filth would dare try to claim the heart of Thor? Amora was also uneasy, because as much as she wanted to, it was too soon to return Thor, "Thank you for delivering the message, now return to you duties."

As the guards left the four warriors followed through the door, all of them contemplating the distressing news. The guard had disappeared from sight before they could catch up to him, but as the group passed a dark alcove the guard leaned out to watch them leave. Slowly the face of the guard changed in a swirl of gold light and Loki stood watching his brother's friends.

 ***Break***

Neo had started to really like Agent Coulson in the short time she had known him, but his impeccable timing was starting to get on her nerves. She sat in a chair next to Thor and was snuggled in to his side, when Phil walked in. It was a good thing she had disillusioned herself after her run-in with the archer. Phil couldn't see her but she had been enjoying spending time with her family, so she was understandably a little miffed by his game of twenty questions. Thanking the stars that it only took him a few minutes to leave, Neo stood up and decided to take a look around. Banishing the conjured chair as she stood up Neo left her father with a quiet "be back in a minute," and was gone.

Bright screens illuminated the other room beyond the one-way mirrors. Agent Coulson was standing at the edge of the room while having a conversation on his phone, but e was also conveniently blocking the exit door. Neo stood out of the way and watched the other agents working. One screen caught her eye, it was a replay of the fake hammer, just before and slightly after it disintegrated, set on a loop.

'Wow, government agents really love their camera footage,' she thought sarcastically. Neo was finally able to leave the room when Phil hung up his phone and went back into the interrogation room.

The tables that contained all of Jane and Eric's research sat outside of the room. Neo wondered if she could get away with taking all of the research and destroying the copies SHIELD had made, after all the two scientists had been nice to her and Thor, but it would also be very mean to Phil..decisions, decisions.

Neo wasn't able to make up her mind before Eric Selvig showed up. She tried not to laugh, as Eric spoke with Coulson. Thor was not a doctor and Phil knew that, but he also wasn't a mercenary like Phil suspected so that left the agent questioning things. She finally had to cast a silencing spell on herself so she wouldn't bust-a-gut when Eric called Thor crazy. As she bent over consumed by silent peals of laughter, Phil had been convinced to let Thor go, or "Dr. Donald Blake" as Eric called him.

Thor was escorted outside and Eric breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the blonde man, but it didn't last long, "Where's the girl?"

'Uh-oh,' said girl thought. Slightly panicked, Neo moved back into the building.

Phil seemed slightly more alert, "What girl?"

Suddenly a feminine laugh came from the doorway behind Coulson, and everyone watched as Neo walked out beside an armed agent.

"…I woke up with a hang-over I will never forget, but the best part was when Sanchez found out about his new tattoo," the agent said as he wiggled his eyebrows at the girl that had bumped into him in the hall.

"No!" Neo exclaimed.

"Yup, it was the most beautiful butterfly tramp-stamp you've ever seen, and when our C.O. found out he had Sanchez doing drills in his underwear, so everyone could see it!" the agent started laughing but when he realized how silent it was he took a look around.

The look on Coulson's face had the agent quickly smothering his laughter, "Agent Hansen, why are you escorting an unauthorized guest around the base?"

"Excuse me, sir?" Hansen asked with a voice that had raised a few octaves.

Before Coulson had the chance Neo spoke in a shy voice, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't actually know if I was uninvited. I came with my father, and since you made him stay I couldn't just leave."

Coulson's face was still neutral but he stood slightly more ridged, "I'm sorry miss, are you saying you've been here this whole time?"

"Uh-huh, you guys were pretty busy when we got her, so I've tried to stay out of the way. I guess that you just didn't notice me." Neo blushed, "But I did get hungry. I found your cafeteria and no one was there, so I helped myself. But I will pay you back! I wasn't trying to steal it, I promise. I even made some for everyone else, after Clint showed up."

"Clint?" Phil questioned, not really sure if he wanted to know.

"Yeah, he came in and helped me cook. He must have been famished, I saw him walk away with two plates."

With that last statement Coulson's face appeared stony but his voice was the same when he spoke, "Well, I have to thank you for waiting so long, Ms. Blake. You and your father are free to go, now."

The shy look left Neo as she looked at Agent Hansen and smiled (unknowingly using magic to charm the agents that saw it), "Thank you for helping me. I didn't get you in trouble, did I?"

It was the agents turn to blush lightly, "Oh no need to thank me, ma'am, it's been a pleasure."

"Good night," she responded before she joined her father and Eric, who had started to walk away. She caught Thor taking the book off of one of the tables before they left the base.

Coulson turned and gave his agents a stern look after the three left, "I want the footage for the last two hours, search the cafeteria, and any agent who might have come into contact with that girl is to report to me. I want to know how we missed her. Where is Agent Barton?!" Phil barked out his question and walked back into the monitor room.

Half an hour later, Phil had almost nothing on the mystery girl, and he was even more frustrated because what he did have was probably false. He knew three things about her, the first was she was a talented cook, second she was supposed to be the daughter of the man that broke into their base, and the third came from Clint when he remembered that her name was Thyra; which may or may not have been a nickname.

That night the SHEILD Agents stationed outside of Puente Antiguo felt the wrath of Agent Phil Coulson. None of the agents got any sleep, and they were sure that this was just the beginning.


	4. Chapter 3

The Law of Three

Chapter 3

'Total silence makes a car ride longer,' Neo concluded. It could have been the fact that lately gods and magic had been providing transportation, but the ride back to the research lab was long and boring. A clear and starry sky hung over their heads, and in the silence Neo fought to stay awake.

They finally arrived after what seemed like hours to find Jane and Darcy waiting for them. Jane and Eric sat down with Thor and talked about the myths that were told on Earth about Asgard. Thor was happy to share his stories and Neo decided to take a shower while there was still a chance.

Darcy had been sitting at the table with her laptop for a while, but was still listening to the conversation that the scientists were having with the hot crazy guy that Jane had run over. She wasn't too preoccupied, because Darcy noticed the other brunette girl stop in front of a mirror that was hanging on the wall.

"I'm still a girl," Neo said aloud.

At those words the conversation seemed to stop and Darcy finally took her eyes away from the screen of her computer for more than five seconds.

Jane's mind didn't know what to say to that, but being an astrophysicist she had experience in questioning the bizarre and answering bizarre questions, "Yes, I'm sure that's nothing new…Unless you…uhm, weren't born a girl."

"Nice one, Boss Lady. That was real smooth," Darcy said while rolling her eyes.

Thor decided to explain, "No, Lady Jane is right. What my child means is she has been in disguise."

"Oh, so you dyed your hair? But it looks so natural, you must have a great hair dresser," Darcy complimented.

Neo laughed, "That's not quite it. Here, let me show you." A swirl of magic wrapped itself around Neo, and when the magic faded Neo stood in his original, handsome, male form. His shoulder length hair was still untamed and framed his masculine face. Neo's strong frame was clothed in a red shirt and blue jeans, with his black leather jacket and boots. He smirked at the surprised looks on the mortals faces.

Darcy was the first to close her gapping mouth but it didn't last long before she finally spoke, "Wow, more eye candy. This is turning out to be the best internship, ever."

Eric rose from his chair with an outstretched hand, "How is this possible? Is it some kind of advanced technology?"

"Easy there," Neo told the older man as he shied away from the scientist's reach, "I'm not a science experiment, mate. I may not care for personal boundaries that much, but I still don't like people poking at me."

"Oh, right. Excuse me," Eric pulled back his hand and looked at the ground in embracement.

"No problem. I'm sure it's just as strange for you, as it will be for the agents outside when they see me."

Jane tilted her head to the side cutely before she asked, "Agents?"

The young god smiled and nodded before he replied, "Yeah, the ones that I noticed followed us back here. My ADHD makes me hyperaware of my surroundings, so I saw them after we left the SHIELD base. They stopped about a quarter of a mile down the road, just out of normal eyesight. It looks like they're setting up on the roof of the highest building around, so they can watch us. I'm sure they would have been able to, if I hadn't cast the anti-spying ward I learned."

"Well, aren't you paranoid?" Darcy joked.

"It's not paranoia, if they really are out to get you."

As everyone shared a laugh, Neo walked to the bathroom to take a shower. By the time he was done the others had left the lab. Neo sent out a burst of magic to see if he could find them, and sensed that Jane and Thor were on the roof.

Neo chose to do a quick workout while the two talked. Jane finally came down and the two said good night before she went outside to her trailer. Pulling out packets containing his favorite brand of hot chocolate, a magically preserved carton of milk, and a tea kettle from his locket Neo borrowed a Bunsen burner and made a cup for himself and Thor. A small application of magic when he was done and the table was cleaned off.

Climbing the stairs with two cups of steaming hot chocolate was easy and Neo pushed open the roof door with his power before he got to the top. Kicking it closed behind him, Neo scanned the roof for Thor then walked over to the balcony were his father sat.

"You want some?" Neo asked, holding out the mug in his right hand.

Thor took it and looked at the contents, "This is not coffee."

Neo spoke while he moved to sit on the ledge next to Thor, "No, that's hot chocolate. I prefer it over coffee, and you can drink it before bed because it doesn't have caffeine. Just be careful it's hot," Neo blew air into his mug and an unconscious touch of magic had it cooled to drinking temperature.

"You use your magic more than my brother. Take heed that you do not rely on it too much, least it causes you to dull your skills as a warrior," Thor said.

Neo smiled, "Magic helped me evade a Dark Lord for almost an entire year. I used magic as my main weapon in a War. My magic IS one of my warrior skills."

"I could not have said it better myself," Loki said as he took a seat on Neo's left side.

"There is news from Asgard?" Thor asked the new arrival.

"Amora has turned her sights on Midgard for the moment, and it looks like your friends are getting restless without you. The Warriors Three and Sif have noticed something, but what they plan to do next, I do not know," Loki said, "No doubt they will try to help and spoil any plans that we make, so for now we wait for Amora to act."

"Why are you just waiting?" Neo asked with an annoyed tone, "You could have stopped her a long time ago. Why didn't you confront her after you came back from Jotunheim and expose her then?"

Loki gave him a sad smile, "Because things are not that simple. I have known Amora for a long time, and we may be mere acquaintances, but I do know she is not a foolish love-sick teenager with delusions of grandeur. Amora mentioned that she is doing this for Thor's sake, and it's possible that she has feelings for him, but it is true that Amora has always been loyal to Asgard. It doesn't make sense that she is doing this. I have felt for a while now that Amora is not in control, and I hope that by waiting and spoiling Amora's work the real mastermind will reveal themselves."

"How do you know she's not behind it all?"

"Amora has amassed a great deal of power over the centuries, with that power she has lived a life of comfort and wants for nothing. Of course, her beauty has also contributed to an easy life. Amora is capable of capturing the hearts and minds of men with her looks and magic. What she is not capable of…is pure love. Over the millennia Amora has never shown love towards another being. I do not know what happened but in her search for magical knowledge irreparable damage was done to her heart.

However, as I said, Amora has always been loyal to Asgard. She would never bring War to the Realm of the gods. Not to mention Amora's first instinct in most situations is self-preservation. Amora is the kind of sorceress who would cause her enemy to destroy themselves while she watched from a safe distance; it is not her style to start a War where she could get caught in the crossfire. She is cunning and ambitious, but Amora is not a killer, and to wage war you must be willing to spill blood. Things simply do not add up, and that can only mean that there is something that is being overlooked."

Neo nodded, "Like the fact that someone else might be pulling the strings?"

"Exactly," the god of Chaos said.

"That is most distressing news, brother," Thor spoke gravely.

"Yes."

Neo gazed at them in puzzlement, "How is this any worse than before?" he asked.

Loki smirked but his eyes were still shadowed by dark thoughts, "While contemplating such news, there is a question that is begging to be asked. If Amora is not behind it, then who is powerful enough to manipulate one of most well-known manipulators? It is disturbing to think about someone capable of controlling Amora from behind the scenes, because it is impossible to guard against an unknown opponent. They are both unpredictable, and dangerous."

Neo felt silly after Loki pointed it out, because of course someone would be afraid of an unknown enemy; but to him Amora WAS an unknown enemy and just when he had started to understand her, a new threat was unveiled. The shadow of danger was growing darker and darker and a sense of impending doom was crawling its way into Neo's heart. He heaved a heavy sigh, "So, what do we do?"

Loki ruffled Neo's hair to comfort him before he spoke, "Stop her, and save her if she needs saving. After that, we will have to face the one behind all of this."

Thor wrapped a strong arm around his son and brother, "And know this; whoever our foe may be, we will face them together, as a family." His words did not have the effect that Thor was hoping for, and he watched as his brothers lips turned down. "What is wrong, brother?"

"I have not had the chance to tell you about something else I discovered."

"There is more on the threat to Asgard?"

"No, it is different" Loki paused struggling to speak, "I have recently discovered something I did not know about myself."

Thor watched his brother silently. It was hard for him to remember the last time he had seen his brother so unsure.

Loki continued after collecting his thoughts, "I am not your brother. I am a monster," he said in a whisper.

"No Loki…" Thor started to protest.

Loki interrupted whatever Thor was going to say, "It is true, Thor, I am not a Son of Odin. I am Loki…Laufeyson."

"That doesn't make you a monster," Neo said suddenly, "And the fact that you have different parents, doesn't stop you from being Thor's brother, or my Uncle. You are who you have always been. Honestly, now that you know, do you feel any different?"

"No," Loki said as he started to smile, "I still love Thor as my brother and care for you as my nephew, but I'm left wondering if you're not adopted as well; it's hard to imagine a Son of Thor being so mature and insightful."

"Loki," Thor grumbled in annoyance.

"Maybe I get it from my Grandmother," Neo mentioned with a knowing smirk.

"I am in agreement, Freya is wise, and some would say wiser than Odin himself," Thor said.

Neo stood up with a grin, "I wasn't talking about Freya. Legend says Odin fathered a son with the Primordial goddess Jorn, so that the child would be as strong on Midgard as they would be in Asgard. That's why you're destined to be the Protector of Earth," he said looking down at Thor who looked back with a shocked expression on his face, "Looks like you and Loki have more in common than before."

After that surprising revelation, Loki was the only Asgardians still able to speak, "Are you sure?"

Neo gave a nod, "Thor is Heir of Asgard and Midgard. Hmm, now that I think about it; I believe that gives you the right to choose your queen from this realm. Maybe Jane would be interested?" Neo gave Thor a sly side glance and the large god blushed slightly. Neo chuckled before he stretched and pulled out his tent flinging it into the air it landed in an upright position ready for him to enter, "But it doesn't change much, right? Through good and bad, we're still family. Night," was the last thing he said before the flap to the tent closed behind him.

Loki laughed, "He certainly does have a way with surprises."

"Verily, there is no doubt he is the Son of Hermes," Thor said, "Perhaps he is too much like Hermes?"

It was Loki's turn to drape his arm over Thor's shoulders and give him a brotherly hug, "Nonsense, he is simply the best of both of you," Loki laughed when he saw Thor's look of hesitation. He knew his brother was suddenly unsure if a combination of the gods of Mischief and Storms was a good thing.

In that moment the love Loki had for his brother, in all but blood, had grown into something that would never fade again. Neo was right, all this time Thor and Loki had been brothers and NOTHING was going to change that, Loki would make sure of it. Thor's feelings were similar to Loki's, but they had never changed.

Loki left after that and Thor fell asleep on the roof gazing up at the stars.

 ***Break***

The next morning it was quiet as the two scientists, two gods and one intern sat down for breakfast, until Thor asked to "have" a mug.

Neo wondered what his father was up to. He had just gotten up to follow Thor when he felt a large amount of energy heading for Earth, it was the same energy he felt while traveling through the Bifrost.

"Whoa, that is really noticeable," he said out loud, remembering that Hecate had spoken about sensing the Bifrost.

Hearing him speak Jane looks at him curiously before asking, "What's noticeable?"

"A sign that trouble is coming," he replied before he suddenly disappeared.

Darcy jumped a little in surprise, "Where'd he go?"

 ***Break***

Neo reappeared outside of the town. He saw the Rainbow Bridge forming above him and wondered who it could be. He was starting to get that itch again and he knew everything was about to go belly up.

Reaching out with his magic Neo called out to Elric and Argyros through the connections between them. He could sense that the falcon was close and it only took a second for the spirit to appear.

"My Lord," the spirit greeted his master.

"I have a feeling trouble is coming maybe not now but soon. Call the others here. Your orders are to protect the citizens, and clean-up may be necessary."

'Speaking of clean-up,' he thought as he suddenly remembered something, "Oh! Did I ever compliment you on the brilliant job you did last time?"

"You honor me with your praise, Master. Now, please excuse me," Elric said before he left to complete his task.

A little while later the Bifrost had dropped off its passengers, leaving four familiar Asgardians in its wake. Hogun was facing him and they stared at each other. When Neo raised his brow in question, Hogun responded by walking passed Neo toward the town.

The younger god just shrugged and started walking next to the stone faced man. Hogun's only reaction was to glance at the younger before he looked back ahead of him. The other three had obviously noticed their silent friend was gone, because Neo could hear then quickly coming up behind them.

As long as the other man was being quiet, Neo thought it would be good to bring him up to speed about Midgard. "I can tell that you're from "out of this world", so how about a few tips on the town up ahead; only a few places on Earth are that small anymore and usually the inhabitants are polite. I say that because a group of strangers, no matter how odd, can get away with a few "strange" behaviors. If you keep in mind that a large number of people have never met an alien before I suggest you try to act as polite as possible. It's obvious you're a skilled fighter and that may lead to some problems in case you get into a disagreement. I understand if there's a problem so I'll only ask that you aim to wound and not kill, but I will help if you need anything."

Hogun nodded, 'He talks too much. Helpful, and a warrior able to recognize another,' he thought as he assessed the young man beside him.

"Yes, I recently started my training," Neo answered as if reading Hogun's thoughts. It wasn't hard for Neo, no matter how stoic the man might like to act. He could see the emotion in the silent man's dark eyes, and read his thoughts in the miniscule changes in expression. He had become a master of reading people. Neo heard once that most abused children learn to read people because it helps them sense when someone is a threat to them. Thanks to growing up with the Dursleys Neo learned how to read people before he could walk. It was very telling when it came to his childhood development, but Neo was happy to have such a skill. The ability to read people saved his life more than once.

It's how he had known Quirrel was a liar, had known Lupin was hiding something, and how he had known from the first time they met that Dumbledore had an ulterior motive. He even told his friends, at first, but they kept telling him that he was imagining things and he stopped. It is easy to convince yourself that other people are right, and soon after meeting friends Neo had suppressed his talent. But, after Cedric's death Neo promised himself that no one would tell him what HE knew, ever again.

The boy's words had made Hogun a little wary, but he was glad he wouldn't have to carry on a conversation. Hogun preferred actions over words and wasn't much for expressing emotions. It was refreshing to have someone who knew what he was thinking without having to talk.

Just before the others reached them, Neo felt like having a bit of fun, "So, you really thought I was a Valkyrie?" he asked only loud enough for Hogun to hear. Neo laughed at the confused look on Hogun's face. He spoke again so the others (who had just reached them) could hear, "The town's a lovely place, and the food at the local café is great. I would show you around but I've got to get back to the lab. Breakfast is probably cold by now. Speaking of breakfast, it was pretty funny yesterday, when Darcy asked Thor to smile. His cheeks where all puffed out, and made him look like a happy chipmunk," he said before he started laughing. Neo had watched the others as he casually used Thor's name and saw them turn to him.

"Did you say Thor?" Fandral asked.

"Where is he?" was the following question from Sif.

"And you mentioned something about food?" (We all know who asked that.)

"Yeah, and he's probably back at the Lab by now finishing up breakfast with the others," Neo said in a friendly voice, "It smelled amazing but I decided to go for a walk. That's when I found you guys. It's not every day that three men and a woman fall from the sky, you know?"

"Oh, you saw that?" Fandral asked guiltily.

"It was hard to miss. A blind man wouldn't have missed it, and you probably had some of the dead rolling in their graves thanks to the strong vibrations I felt through the ground."

It was quite until they reached town and Volstagg broke off from his friends. When the voluminous warrior moved to help a little girl retrieve her ball, Neo almost cooed at the sweet gesture.

Volstagg sat with his back to the others as he commented on how Midgard had changed. Sif, Fandral and Hogun started to walk away, but it appeared that Volstagg hadn't noticed. The bearded man seemed to have smelled something and started following the scent like a bloodhound, in the opposite direction. Glancing between Volstagg and the others Neo chose to follow him. He watched as Volstagg found the spying agents, and Neo silently complimented him on his talent for sneaking. The Asgardian knocked out the agents who had been enjoying their breakfast while invading the privacy of others. As one of the agent's foil wrapped food went flying into the air, Volstagg caught it.

"Exquisite," Volstagg commented after taking a bite of the pilfered rations.

The young god just shook his head and thought that Fenrir was right; Volstagg seemed to always be eating.

They continued on their way to the lab, and then met the other warriors a block away from the building. With the glass doors to the lab giving a clear view of the four people inside, the Warriors and Sif sped up in their haste to see Thor.

Neo puzzled at the greeting Thor gave the warriors, 'You would think they hadn't seen each other in years. Aren't they immortal?'

The happy reunion was cut short when Neo felt the power of the Bifrost heading toward Earth, again.

"Aw, come on!" Neo exclaimed, "I just got back here. What horrible timing." Neo pulled out his locket from under his shirt and summoned Mjolnir. When the legendary battle hammer appeared in his hands the gods and goddess were surprised (to say the least). Neo set the hammer down on the floor, "I'm going to hold whoever is coming off, and hopefully stop them from hurting anyone. I expect you to join me soon," he said sternly.

Thor reached for the hammer but was unable to lift it, "Mjolnir will not answer my call to battle. Without the connection between my divine essence and Mjolnir, I cannot wield the hammer."

"Then tap into your power and suit up!" Neo told him as if stating the obvious.

Thor gritted his teeth in frustration, not liking the situation any more than his son, "I cannot! Odin has taken my power and I…"

Neo's outburst stopped whatever Thor was trying to say, "No one can take your power, you're a god! Power is the same; whether you're a god or wizard. I know for a fact that the law of magic states, no one can take your power unless they mean to kill you, they can only block it. Odin didn't TAKE your power it's still their waiting for you to use it. You can break the suppression that Odin placed on you if your will is strong enough. There is one truth you need to remember; every individual is responsible for making their own choices. Even a prisoner can choose to rot in a cage or escape their bonds. So, do you choose to stand here and let Odin stop you from protecting your friends and the woman you have fallen in love with, or do you choose to fight for them?"

While Neo's words had rekindled Thor's spirit, Sif's countenance had turned sour after Neo spoke about Thor falling in love.

"Forsooth! I shall find the will, my son, and join you in battle this day," Thor responded.

Neo nodded and changed his jacket and boots into armor, suitable for the son of Thor, his long red cape flowing behind him. The Mist wrapped invisibly around him, and its spell of illusion stopped the mortals from seeing his face. It would seem that he had one more goddess on his side. Neo cast his eyes around the room meeting the gaze of everyone before he smiled and walked through the door only to instantly be teleported outside of town and close to the Bifrost.

SHIELD agents had already arrived onsite, and the Bifrost was almost done forming.

'Elric,' the young god called out through their link.

The spirit was quick to respond, 'Master?'

'How's it going?'

'A perimeter has been set up, and the town is ready to be evacuated in an instant at your command.'

Breathing a sigh of relief, Neo placed himself between the agents and where the Rainbow Bridge would touch down.

With a loud boom and a cloud of dust, the Bifrost disgorged its traveler. Slowly the dust cleared away to reveal a giant metal creation. Neo couldn't detect any life, but the power inside of that machine was formidable.

Coulson tried to communicate with it, but the violent response that came had the agents scrambling for cover. The face plates had moved to reveal no one, while inside the metal monster started to glow. Neo cast a shield and braced himself in his position between the mortals and the Asgardian weapon. The spell had done its job.

The Destroyer turned to face the man that was left standing against it. As a semi-sentient weapon the Destroyer was a little curious about this unknown enemy, it had been a long time since someone stood against the weapon of Asgard.

"There are two ways this is going to happen; you return from where you came from, or I send you back to your master in pieces," Neo said, while his mind raced with thoughts of a weapon to use against this behemoth.

As Neo thought, the reply was another fiery blast but this time it lasted a lot longer. The force behind the attack threatened to break his shield and he had to channel more magic into it. Thankfully the shield held through the attack and Neo still stood facing his opponent.

The next thing Neo saw was a huge metal foot coming toward him quickly. He had just enough time to dodge the attack and form Marvápn into a sword. Aiming for the metal limb with his sword proved pointless, the cut from his sword disappeared in seconds.

With a swing of its right arm, the Destroyer caught Neo across the middle and sent him flying through the air. Neo braced himself for impact, and his magic tried to cushion his inevitable meeting with the ground. Rolling through the dirt wasn't fun but Neo came to a stop only thirty feet from where he had been.

"Alright you wanker, it's my turn," he said as he got up. They stood staring at each other for a second, and then they attacked. The Destroyer prepared a blast from his face plate as Neo started charging toward him. The blast went off and Neo dropped to his knees, the attack passed overhead, and he continued to slide towards the metal monstrosity. Drawing on his strongest emotions, anger (toward his enemy) and love (for the people he is protecting), Neo channeled his magic into his sword. It looked like lightning was traveling across the blade of Marvápn as it sliced through the Destroyers legs leaving scorch marks, while Neo slid under the metal giant.

Quickly springing up from the ground Neo turned and thrust his sword forward into the head of the machine. The metal looked chard around his blade, but Neo saw it was far from over as the head of the Destroyer seemed to morph and the front shifted to the back.

This time he wasn't able to block the heat blast and Neo still griping his weapon was sent into the air again. On his meeting with the dirt, Neo's breath was knocked out of his lungs. While trying to draw air back into his lungs, Neo noticed a ringing in his ears and felt like he had just stuck his head in a fire without floo powder.

Collecting itself, the Destroyer reattached its legs but the black marks on the metal stayed. It stood and looked at the downed god, walking closer it raised its hands ready to pound the enemy into the ground.

Bullets bounced off of the armor as the agents tried to help the man that had protected them, even if they didn't know how he had done it. Coulson called out when he saw the next attack, "Move!"

But, Neo couldn't hear past the ringing in his ears. When he finally looked up it was in time to realize he wouldn't be able to dodge. Neo closed his eyes waiting for the inevitable pain, and that's why he missed the silver flash barreling through the sky strait toward him. A grip on his shoulder that sent him flying back, made Neo's eyes shoot open. Gripping the shoulder of his armor, were the talons of Argyros who had somehow lifted him into the air just in time.

While executing his valiant rescue the bird found time to comment, " _Looks like you need saving, again. It's a good thing I'm your partner, what would you do without me?_ "

"Heh, my pride wouldn't be as bruised for one, but thanks for the save. You can put me down now," Neo said keeping an eye on the Destroyer, which seemed to be doing the same in return.

Argyros turned his wings and flew straight-up then let go of Neo as he continued to fly higher in the sky to regain his bird's-eye-view of the fight.

Neo landed in a graceful crouch, eyes still focused on the pain in the neck machine. When he caught a glimpse of something behind the Destroyer he couldn't help the devilish smirk that appeared on his face, "I'd love to finish this, but it looks like someone else will be having the last dance," the young god commented before a noise coming from behind the machine made it turn it's metal face away from him.

In the sky, coming from the direction of town, was Thor who was fully dressed in his Armor and caring Mjolnir in his hand. Neo backed away taking up position between the coming confrontation and the SHIELD agents. Casting a protection ward around the agents and their cars Neo stood inside watching his father and the Destroyer duke it out. Thankfully, his tendency to make sure the people around him were safe paid off when Thor conjured a great storm that ripped the metal giant apart.

With the scrap metal littering the ground and the town safe, Neo finally changed Marvápn and his armor back. As Neo watched Jane's van driving toward them, Elric suddenly walked up, "Another mess to clean up? Young Master, you shouldn't play so rough," he teased before glancing at the other spirits who had come to protect the town, as they showed up in their "secret agent disguises", black unmarked vehicles and all.

"Whose idea was it to dress-up in suits, again?" Neo asked. It was something he had been wondering since the last time.

Elric's mouth twitched as he suppressed a smile, "As Commander in Chief of the Eternal Guard I was the one who requested that your Guard wear them when around mortals, though it was originally suggested by Death. When I asked her why she was suggesting it, she mentioned something about Japanese cartoons, and a…demon butler? It did make sense at the time, since mortals would assume that the Guard is just a government agency or personal protection. Remember how well it worked at Stark Industries?"

"Death is looking out for me…" the Master of Death said, "That really sounds weird when I say it out loud." Inside of his head Neo heard a familiar laugh and felt a tingle of amusement coming from his connection with Death.

"Excuse me, who are you people? This area is under investigation by SHIELD. You can't remove anything from this site. You'll have to show me your authorization, or I'm going to have to ask you to leave," the voice of Agent Coulson came from behind him and Neo was a little startled. He had almost completely forgotten about SHIELD.

"Bollocks," Neo spoke under his breath.

"I've got this, my Lord," Elric told the god quietly before he faced the irate mortal, "I'm Elric Graves with Eternia Corp., and you are…"

Phil looked up into Elric's golden eyes and got the feeling he was facing a challenge, "Agent Phil Coulson with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division."

"It is nice to meet you Agent and I cannot say how pleased I am to see the U.S. Government at its best, but you have no reason to worry. The robot was simply an out of control prototype, and as you can see, the situation has been dealt with," Elric's smile was gentile but Phil wasn't convinced.

"That doesn't explain the radiation we picked-up from the anomaly your "prototype" just appeared from, or the strange weather we seem to be having," Coulson tried to counter but Elric was unfazed.

"Our technology produces some radiation, but I assure you it is well within safety parameters, is it not? The "strange weather", as you put it, is the outcome of a device that was developed to provide water to locations that are experiencing a drought. The storm was part of our plan to stop the prototype, with the electric power that it generates we were able to short-circuit the machine and destroy it."

Phil knew it sounded like a good explanation and if it wasn't for the strange feeling he was getting he would have accepted it, as a last effort to catch the man in front of him in a lie Phil said, "I've never heard of Eternia Corp."

"It is a recently founded Corporation dedicated to the research and development of technology that will improve lives. In fact we are currently working closely with Stark Industries to renovate its weapons division into an R. and D. department."

Neo raised his eyebrow, as he listened to the spirit. The explanation sounded too perfect even for a lie, but he knew that Eternia Corp WAS real. It was something in the file Death sent; apparently his guardian Azrael Nightshade (a.k.a. Death) started the company under his name a few years ago. It was privately owned and operated, but even SHIELD would never find out where it was based, because it was literally in another dimension. Who knew that spirits with a century's worth of knowledge liked to play scientist? It may seem a little peculiar but Neo felt lucky, since this meant that he didn't have to deal with bored spirits, particularly of the kitsune and gremlin variety.

"Sitwell," Coulson called to the agent behind him. When the agent arrived Phil spoke, "What do you know about Eternia Corp.?"

"Nothing yet," the bald man admitted, "but I can call H.Q. and have them pull up any information."

"Do it, ask them what they can find on Eternia Corp. and Mr. …" Phil trailed off so the white haired man could give his name.

"Elric Graves, I am the Personal Assistant and Bodyguard to Eternia Corp's C.E.O. Neo Thorson. Whom I believe you have met Agent Coulson," the spirit casually mentioned.

Coulson did remember the name. After all, Phil was an experienced agent and it wasn't everyday that someone surprised him. It had been alarming to find out that, while SHIELD had Tony Stark under surveillance, Neo Thorson had gone unnoticed in Stark's home. Phil knew that no one had seen the young man since the attack on Stark's facility. Fury hadn't met the boy when he went to speak to Tony. It was like Thorson had disappeared; but now his secretary was standing in front of them telling them they weren't allowed to do their job, while the mysterious man stood to the side dressed in the same jacket he had worn to Stark's Fundraiser. Between Neo and Thyra Coulson was starting to become concerned about all of the people popping-up under SHIELD's nose.

Of course, none of the mortals that where watching will be able to remember the face of the man that saved them, thanks to the Mist clouding their minds. Chiron had explained how the mist worked, so he wasn't worried about Coulson knowing him, but he didn't see the keen pair of eyes watching them from afar, eyes that had not left Neo since he teleported in.

"We've met," he confirmed, "It might be coincidence, but you wouldn't know a girl named Thyra?"

"I'm sorry Agent, I have never met anyone by that name," the servant answered, but there was a knowing sparkle in the spirit's eyes. The look didn't surprise Neo, he had noticed that Elric seemed to know things he shouldn't, so it was possible he knew exactly who "Thyra" was.

"Well, that's alright, it was only a guess," Phil dismissed.

The agent's tone was off and Neo could imagine Phil saying something like, 'I'm only playing your game because I don't want to file paperwork for shooting you. So I'll be polite while I silently plan how to get the information out of you. It will be FUN, involving mirrored interrogation rooms and lots of silence.' That thought had Neo laughing out loud, "Resorting to guessing, Agent Coulson? That doesn't sound like you; perhaps you're under too much stress."

Coulson couldn't reply because Dr. Foster's van had finally arrived and the woman jumped out of the driver's seat as soon as she was parked. Eric, Darcy, and four unknown people hopped out of the van after her; with the last four looking a little motion sick. Phil saw what they were wearing and a look of surprise showed on his face when he turned back to Neo and Elric.

Neo shrugged and looked back at Thor and Jane, "We were having a costume party…Oi! I hope I'm not interrupting. I just thought we could finish this, oh I don't know, sometime today."

"Aye, we have other business to attend to," Thor said nodding.

Elric leaned close and spoke to Neo were no one else could hear, "May I suggest not traveling to another dimension in front of SHIELD, my Lord?"

'Way to feel like an idiot,' Neo thought. Glancing around he saw that the spirits were almost done cleaning up the pieces of the Destroyer, but they hadn't returned to the vehicles. Neo thanked his lucky stars that Loki had taught him how to cast illusions; magic would always be his saving grace.

"Follow along," he whispered to Elric while casting a spell, "Ladies and Gentleman, it seems I am needed somewhere else. Please excuse me," he walked as fast as he could to one of the vehicles with blacked out windows, and got into the back, Elric took the driver's seat. As the vehicle drove passed the agents the back window rolled down and everyone say Neo's face.

They stood there wondering what that was all about, but they were jerked from their thoughts when they heard someone speak.

"Wow, you don't think it was me, do you?" the sparkling green eyes of the speaker met Thor's surprised stare. Thyra stood next to Jane's van in her armor, red cape hanging from her shoulder plates, scaled armor covering her arms and legs, and her sturdy boots on her feet. Argyros sat on her shoulder and her eyes scanned the crowd. When Neo saw a familiar face she smiled and waved, "Hello, Agent Hansen." (Thyra's back and will again be referred to as she/her; I think this will be the last appearance of Neo's female form for awhile)

Said agent was the color of a tomato as he blushed and smiled back, "Hello Ma'am." Hansen glanced to where he could feel a high level of Killing Intent (K.I.) coming from, and his eyes widened when he found Coulson looking at him.

The giggle he received made the poor man blush even harder, "You can call me Thyra, Luke."

Hansen gulped when he felt the K.I. increase three fold, "I don't think that's a good idea, Ma'am."

Neo was laughing on the inside and she could even hear Argyros snickering at the poor mortal. She could feel her inner mischief maker about to rear its head. Adopting a heartrending countenance Neo spoke gloomily, "I understand, some people are bound to dislike me. That's life, "you can't win them all"." Neo couldn't help it when she looked at Sif.

And now every agent was looking at the ex-marine/Neo's victim; Hansen had been targeted by looks that held K.I., jealousy, disappointment, and amusement.

The mortal had gone pale. Neo felt a jolt of energy travel up her back, her little prank had charged the atmosphere with energy that her godly powers where absorbing. Her abilities as the Child of Hermes were feeding off of the Chaos.

She tried to reign in the desire to cause more trouble, just as she heard someone talk.

"Stop," Thor commanded. He had seen Loki cause mischief with his godly powers enough to know what was going on.

Neo flinched, as the small struggle to control her power was ended with one word, then looking at Luke Hansen, Neo felt a little bad, "I…"

The mortal agent gave a calm smile, "It's alright, Ma'am. But, how about we make a deal; I'll call us even if you make sure to not pop up around my boss anymore. He gets mighty angry when we have a security breach."

"No promises," she replied with a happy smile.

The sound of Coulson clearing his throat stopped anything else the two could have said, "We're getting off topic. What "other business"?"

"Lady Amora, the one who sent the Destroyer to attach, must be stopped. I know not what has brought her wrath to Midgard, but I will confront her once I have returned to Asgard," Thor announced.

"Amora? What has she to do with this?" Sif asked, "Loki is the one who stole the Throne of Asgard."

The god of strength turned to his friends, "She has taken Loki's place these last days, and plots to destroy Jotunheim under some misbegotten idea that it will win my favor. It has been under control, but now that she wields Gungnir the Nine Realms are in danger," Thor raised his hands to cup Jane's face as he spoke to her, "I must protect my kingdom, Jane, but know I shall return."

He separated from her and walked a few feet away, the four warriors and Neo following him.

"Is that code for something," Phil asked, but he was ignored as Thor shouted to Heimdall to open the Bifrost.

The Rainbow Bridge descended, and swept up the 6 gods but at the last second two figures ran into the swirling vortex, delivering all eight of them to the gate room where Heimdall and Loki waited.

"So, you have chosen to grace Asgard with your presence, Thor, even after the Allfather banished you? I always knew you could think for yourself," Loki teased his brother before changing to a more serious voice, "What are you two doing here?"

Loki's question had heads turning to the pair standing behind the Warriors Three. Jormungandr stood calmly next to his happily grinning brother. Fenrir answered his Faðr, "We got bored."

"So, to save the young demi-gods from my brother's boredom, we came to help," Jormungandr elaborated.

The god of Chaos leveled a stern glare at his sons, "Due to the dire peril that Asgard has found itself in and the fact that your help may be necessary, I will ignore your blatant disregard for your own safety for now, but make no mistake we will speak again when this is over." Loki watched as the bravery of his two sons wavered in the face of their father's anger. Turning back to Thor he said, "You must hurry. The Frost Giants have already entered the Palace." When he was finished, Loki appeared to fade away, revealing that he had been an illusion.

All of the gods in the gate room left to deal with the invaders, and Thor headed straight for the Throne room with Neo following. When they didn't find Amora there, they followed the trail of dead and injured guards to the Royal chambers. Thor was just in time to see Amora raise Gungnir, and thinking quickly he stopped Laufey's death by knocking the Giant out with Mjolnir.

Amora watched the battle hammer fly back to Thor's hand. She was too surprised at seeing the Prince to hold her glamour any longer. Her disguise faded and she stood in the royal chambers with her long blonde hair and blue eyes, clad in a green sorceress' gown.

"That is enough Amora," he told her.

"No, the Giants have to be destroyed. I have to finish this…for you Thor."

"You believe this to be what I want? I hold no ill will toward the Jotuns, any longer."

This wasn't going the way she had expected. Thor was supposed to agree with her, he had always despised the Frost Giants. That's when she remembered a part of her plan that could work in her favor, "But the Giants have slain your brother. It was in his name that I took his image and was going to kill Laufey."

"Stop with your lies, I know that you have been masquerading around as Loki for days now. Surrender now and you may be pardoned for trying to assassinate a crown Prince of Asgard."

"I did no such thing," she hissed.

"Then you won't be distressed to know I am alive," Loki said as he walked out of the shadows behind the healing bed.

"No," the sorceress whispered, as she finally started to realize she would never get away with things now. "Ugh," she growled in frustration then called out, "Skurge!"

The henchman, who was never far from his Mistress, appeared in the doorway behind Neo. She stepped out of the way as he entered the room.

"Kill them and then hurry to the Gate room while I prepare to end this," the enchantress ordered as she left, "I will see one part of my plan through."

The warrior/henchman was huge with bulging muscles, and looked like a fierce fighter. Neo tilted her head and thought 'You know...he's not that bad looking for a muscleman type. Oh no, bad thoughts. I need to focus.'

Neo smiled, "I got this, go stop Amora. Save her." Neo hoped the sorceress WAS being controlled like Loki thought, because she would have a lot to answer for.

"I will not let you pass," Skurge grumbled.

"Oh yeah," Neo asked as she ran at the warrior. Grabbing him by his armored plating, Neo teleported them out of the room and pushed him thru a different doorway at the end of the hall. The sudden change made Skurge loose his footing and he landed hard on the ground.

Thor and Loki left Odin's room and ran to the Bifrost passing the room where Neo stood blocking the door this time.

"That was a good trick, little sorceress, but it will cost you," the angry warrior said, before getting to his feet.

"I'm not a sorceress. I am the first born of Thor Odinson, a child of the Olympic god Hermes, and the Chosen Heir of Lady Hecate. And I think it's time to show you why I'm the Master of Death." If looks could kill, the glare Neo gave him would have ripped Skurge to shreds.

"Big talk for a scrawny waif. Whatever Lord you are married to will have to teach you your place," he said while un-holstered his giant battle axe.

Neo gritted her teeth, 'I take it back, anyone who talks to me like that is FUGLY, and deserves a butt kicking.' She cast a fire spell at the man's feet and he jumped away from the flames.

"What, am I too hot for a "Big Man" like you to handle?" Neo asked icily.

Skurge growled then jumped over the fire with his axe raised above his head. Swinging it down as he landed. Neo dodged to the side, and formed Marvápn into a spear. The long weapon would keep him at a distance if she kept up her defenses.

The head of the axe imbedded into the floor but Skurge easily pulled it out. He swung it effortlessly around and crossed weapons with Neo. Angling the weapons down Neo forced her opponent's weapon into the ground again. Then using the spear as a pole she vaulted over it and smashed her feet into Skurge's face. If any other woman had kicked him like that the Asgardian would only have gotten a bloody nose, but Neo was stronger than most gods, so the force broke his nose and gave him a slight concussion. Falling on top of him, Neo's knee guards knocked the breath out of the warrior. With a final punch the warrior was out.

Neo wondered if she should leave him like that or tie him up, that thought was enough to have Gleipnir wrap itself around Skurge.

"Okaayy, the next thing I'm going to do when this is over, is figure out what is up with you," Neo said to the peculiar chain.

Her voice must have woken up the Asgardian, who grumbled and squinted into the light. "Well now I don't have to carry you. Come on, I want to see how the others are doing," Neo pulled him to his feet and guided him out of the room to the Gate.

Neo was finding it curious that the warrior wasn't struggling to get free, "You're awfully quiet. I didn't knock out your last brain cell, did I? That would be even more insulting than being beaten by a scrawny waif who doesn't know her place."

When he finally spoke the words that came out of his mouth were completely unexpected, "Forgive me, my Lady."

Neo went from curious to confused, in 0.1 second flat, "What?"

"I beg your forgiveness for insulting you, my Lady. I am an honorable warrior of Asgard, but the heat of battle took me and I spoke unkindly to you."

"Are you bi-polar? Five minutes ago you were going to cut my head off."

"A warrior must always show respect to his betters. You have defeated me in battle. My life and death are now yours to command," the warrior announced calmly.

"Wow, didn't see that coming. Wait, is that why you work for Amora? I thought you were in love with her?"

"My loyalty to the Enchantress is not what it seems. I do love her, but any love I hold for her is one sided and was created from one of her spells. There are times, when love and loyalty are very different things to a warrior."

Neo decided to test him, "But you have no real loyalty to me, what if I decided I didn't want a warrior in my service and killed you."

"If that is your will, I shall spare you the act of staining your hands with my blood and take my own life," he nodded.

'This guys too much,' Neo thought depressingly, "There are worse things to fight for than love, like loyalty to an unjust Master. I mean, look at yourself. Honor and loyalty are nice and all, but a warrior fights for what's right. If you know the difference between right and wrong; it is your responsibility to fight for truth and justice, otherwise you're just another villain making excuses for destroying lives."

"Then I shall swear my loyalty to you, for I know thou are just," he voiced with conviction.

"Hold on, that's not…" Neo started to say, but stopped when she felt the Bifrost activate, "Who's opening the Bifrost?"

"Amora," Skurge answered her, "If the Bifrost is left open too long the energy will pull Jotunheim apart."

"Bugger, hold on," was the only warning Skurge got before Neo teleported outside of the Bifrost.

Searching the scene Neo noticed several things; Amora was holding back Thor and Loki from the sword that activated the bridge, and the portal had been frozen open. It was fortunate that Neo had not been spotted.

Neo walked toward the portal to see if she could close it, but her steps where halted as the chain holding Skurge pulled taut. She looked down at Gleipnir in her hands then at the chained man. He was just watching her and Neo felt like he was the one testing her this time. Her jaw clenched before she made a decision. Gleipnir obeyed her silent command and untangled itself from Skurge.

No longer holding a captive, Neo was summoning the power to break the spell Amora cast on the Bifrost when she felt an attack coming at her back. Neo ducked and turned to face her attacker.

Amora gazed at the young god with a murderous look in her eyes. "Skurge, hold off the Princes while I deal with this worthless speck of dirt," the enchantress commanded her henchman. When he didn't immediately do her bidding, Amora glanced at him and sneered. Surprisingly the next attack wasn't pointed at Neo, instead Amora cast a spell that hit Skurge in the chest and he doubled over. Wide-eyed Neo watched what she thought might be the death of the warrior.

Skurge straightened back up and looked fine, but Neo could tell something was wrong.

Amora gave her command again, "Do not let Thor or Loki interfere with my plans."

The silence that followed was deafening, as Skurge turned to do as ordered. 'She's controlling him,' Neo realized.

A stabbing pain in her chest was mixed with a bile inducing, sick feeling in her stomach. Flashback's invaded Neo's mind; young Hogwarts students slaughtering their own family and friends while under the Imperious Curse, and then turning their wands on themselves when they saw what they had done; watching fathers and mothers die at the hands of their Death eater children; Bellatrix Lestrange cackling as waves of brainwashed creatures ran down innocent witches and wizards, carving bloody paths across the battle field.

The clanging of metal in Neo's ears as Thor and Loki fought against Amora's spellbound henchman shocked Neo out of her memories. After that Neo's mood quickly changed, as she thought about the enchantress controlling people for centuries, a burning rage coursed through Neo turning her discomfort into righteous fury.

"You actually have the gall to call me dirt when you're the one controlling peoples' minds?!" Neo yelled. "That's it, I'm ready to end this, and I think this portal has been opened long enough."

Marvápn shifted into a Great Mace as Neo raised her left hand, and with a flick of her wrist the basketball sized mace went soaring through the air and shattered Amora's freezing spell.

The energy of the portal back lashed and everyone was knocked onto the Rainbow Bridge. All of the fighters took a moment to recover. Amora was the first to resume the fight after she saw the Bifrost closed. A crippling curse zoomed toward Neo, "You!" Amora screamed and send out a chain of curses.

Calling out Marvápn's shield form and summoning the mace back to her Neo blocked the attacks. Amora threw a blasting curse at Neo's feet, and the younger jumped out of the way. Coming to a stop Neo transformed Marvápn into a crossbow on instinct and fired magic infused arrows at Amora. The first two arrows infused with blasting hex magic bombarded the shield that Amora cast. With the shield broken the third arrow found its target, but it was charmed with a different spell. Before it came into contact with Amora's flesh the arrow turned into red light and knocked the sorceress over.

Looking up at her opponent from the ground Amora conjured flying daggers aimed at Neo's heart. Neo raised her shield but she was tackled to the ground before they could hit. Thor jumped over her and attacked Amora, to buy Neo some time to recover.

Turning away from the battle between the enchantress and her father to look at the one who tackled her, Neo saw her Uncles face inches from hers. The fear in Loki's eyes was overwhelming from so close.

"Why?" she breathed.

Loki stood, pulling Neo up with him before he spoke, "Those magic daggers are more dangerous than they appear. They look like daggers but it is a death curse, and I don't think you want to test your immortality, am I right?" Loki asked with a teasing smirk.

"Ahh!" the scream that tore through the air had them looking toward Amora. Skurge lay unconscious behind Thor who had just blocked a spell from Amora with Mjolnir. The force of her spell rebounded off of the legendary hammer, and Amora was sent over the edge of the Rainbow Bridge.

Thor reached out to catch the sorceress but missed. Neo ran as fast as she could and stretched out pushing herself over the edge. She had just grabbed Amora's hand, when she felt a large strong hand grab her around the ankle.

Breathing a sigh of relief at having caught her, Neo's rescuer was quick to reprimand, "That was foolish, child, do not ever scare me like that again," Thor said.

Neo looked at him with a thankful grin, "I knew you would catch me," turning to Amora she said, "hold on. I won't let you fall."

"No, let me go. I have failed," the woman said. Amora tried to wrestle her hand free, but Neo tightened her grip almost painfully, because at the same time the older woman spoke Neo had heard Amora's voice speak in her mind, " _Help me!_ "

When the words echoed in Neo's mind she felt the same sense of wrongness wash over her, as she felt the first time she met Luke, 'That feeling again, but what was that voice?' Neo asked herself.

Death gave her an answer, " _It was the sorceress' soul crying for help. Your powers as the Master of Death are still growing, that is why you can only hear it now. Loki is right, Amora is being controlled. You must repeat after me if you want to free her._ "

" _ **By my power as the One Who Speaks for Death, I free you, mind, body and soul**_ ,"(The words are spoken in Ancient, a language that Life and Death spoke before the Universe was created, so it is translated into English for your convenience)

Looking into Amora's eyes as she repeated the words, Neo was able to see a change in the enchantress. Amora was free, and with that, able to react naturally to the situation; she grabbed Neo's arm with both hands and screamed.

Thor had started to pull them up with the help of Loki and Odin, who had apparently woken from his sleep at the last possible second.

'Score zero, for the Allfather, and let's chalk one up in the "reasons Odin needs to retire" column,' Neo contemplated sarcastically.

 ***Scene Break: Unknown Location***

The Other watched through his mental link with Amora as she was defeated. He sneered when his link with the useless goddess was severed abruptly by an outside force.

The Other murmured to himself angrily, "Clearly she was the wrong choice of pawn to bring about the destruction of Asgard and Jotunheim. I should have gone with my first plan, and influenced the god of Chaos. Still, a minor setback in Thanos' plan, but a new obstacle has presented itself. That young sorceress is very powerful and must be dealt with; I will inform Thanos of this nuisance." As he was getting ready to seek out the Mad Titan, the Other heard a voice whisper.

" _You'll never get the chance,_ " it said.

It was a surprise that someone was able to sneak up on him, but when he went to look around the Other found no one there. In his search for the intruder the Other failed to see the giant Asteroid that was on a collision course with the same Asteroid he was standing on.

The last thing that the Other noticed was a growing shadow over himself before his life was unexpectedly ended. The debris left behind was covered in blue blood and interspersed with chunks of flesh and bone; this was the gruesome sight that awaited the Chitauri scout who was sent to find the Other, when he did not answer Thanos' summons.

 ***Break***

Slowly dragging a pen across the page she had been looking at, Death smiled. She had been waiting to cross out that name for a long time, and she couldn't wait to do the same to the rest on that particular list.

"Wasn't that a little vicious, darling?" Life asked from behind her as he planted a kiss on the side of Death's neck. He had been observing her handy-work while they sat together on a sofa in Death's realm. Life had his jean clad legs propped-up on the coffee table as Death sat in his lap, in her black tank top and shorts. She sat leaning back against his t-shirt covered chest, using him as her own personal chair.

"Nope," she said cheerily with a gleam in her bright emerald eyes, "That was pretty painless, considering the things he's done."

Life hummed and nodded in agreement, "True, and if that's the case, you must have something worse in store for the others, correct?"

"You know me so well, and the best part is how you never try to interfere," Death said before she turned to kiss her mate, "I love you."

"I love you too, and I am beginning to think that it's the reason I have allowed you to become so spoiled," Life said with a smile, as his dark eyes danced with mirth.

"Yes, but you still love me."

"I will always love you," he said moving his arms from around her waist to place his hands on her hips before running them up her sides, "And I think it's time for you to set aside your work so I can show you…Just. How. Much." Life punctuated the last three words with kisses that trailed across Death's shoulder.

Death giggled as her book and pen clattered to the floor.

 ***Back on Asgard-Same time***

The two women were quickly pulled up by the King and Princes, but even after being placed safely back on the Rainbow Bridge Amora didn't let go of Neo. Amora had wrapped her arms around Neo's waist and buried her head in the taller girl's chest. Neo couldn't see her face but felt the blonde shaking in her arms.

"Guards!" Odin's voice rang breaking the momentary silence, as the guards stepped forward Odin continued, "Take the sorceress and her companions to the dungeons."

Four guards started to lift Skurge from the ground, as two others pulled the sorceress out of Neo's arms and one came up behind the young god and wrenched her arms behind her back.

"Let go!" Neo commanded. When the guard tried to subdue her by raising her arms into an uncomfortable position, Neo head butted him. The feeling of warm viscous liquid gushing into her hair let Neo know that she had successfully broken his nose. The pain had caused the man to loosen his grip, which gave her the chance to free herself. Neo grabbed the guards arm and flipped him over her shoulder. Still holding his arm she planted her foot against his throat and turned his arm into a painful position that would allow her to break his arm with the slightest pressure.

Turning the tables on the guard only took a matter of seconds and the rest of the guards froze when she looked up from her captive. "I am so over Asgard. At first it was just Odin who had me wondering if he was mental, but now there's this idiot," Neo said while pressing down with her foot on the guard's throat and gripping a little tighter.

Thor quickly spoke, "That's enough, my child, just let him go."

Neo sighed, "Yeah, let's just get this over with so we can go home."

Thor's eyebrows furrowed, "We are home, now."

"No, home is where the heart is, and your heart is not here. Your loved ones may be, but not your heart," Neo smiled at her father when she realized that he could already feel the pain of being so far from Jane.

Odin taking Neo's words the wrong way became concerned, "What did you do to my son? Have you bewitched his heart, witch?!"

That stung Neo, not the word itself, but the way Odin said it implied disgust. The Wizarding World may define men and women as wizards and witches, but Odin meant to insult Neo and she knew it. It worked, Neo was feeling very insulted, and wanted to return the favor.

"I have done nothing, especially compared to what you have done, Allfather (which translated into "you old goat bugger" in Neo's head)."

Odin was momentarily distracted from their verbal spar by the sound of running feet coming from the city. A small group of warriors was coming toward the Bifrost. Fenrir, the one in front, was the first face that Odin recognized. The King's countenance became stony.

"You," the Allfather spoke in a dark tone. Calling Gungnir into his hand from where Amora had dropped it, he pointed the spear at the suddenly frightened god, then without another word attacked.

White light shot in the direction of Fenrir, and frozen in fear, all the young god could do was watch with wide eyes as his death rushed to meet him.

"No!" Loki called out, and his heart stopped when he saw there was nothing he could do.

With a split-second decision, Neo instantly teleported in front of Fenrir just before Odin's attack would have hit him.

Indescribable pain coursed through Neo. Ice-cold, searing-hot daggers ripped through Neo's back, carving flesh from bone. Her sharp, tortured scream pierced the air, and Fenrir had to cover his ears.

With her mind blank from shock, Neo's body fell forward onto Fenrir. He caught her in his arms, but when his hands came into contact with her back he shivered in terror and almost dropped Neo. His hands did not make contact with scorched armor but mangled flesh. The horror of what he knew was there, was greater than if he had seen it with his eyes. Neo let out a final rattling breath before going still. Tears started to rain down his pale face and in his shock Fenrir gripped Neo tighter, while he silently sobbed.

The stunned gods and goddesses watched the young wolf cry over the body in his arms. Frigga knew who the child was; her Æsir magic was well used to seeing the bonds between families. Looking away from the still body of her grandchild, Frigga watched as her son, Thor, fell heavily to his knees. Jormungandr walked up behind his brother and placed a hand on Fenrir's head, both gods silently bowed over their cousin.

" _This is not the end._ "

Neo twitched in Fenrir's grasp.

" _It is just the beginning._ "

Neo's hand twitched again.

" _Wake up._ "

The young god's body started to change. Neo returned to his male form again, and the on lookers watched as Neo's hair started to turn white. The wound on Neo's back began to heal rapidly, as a billowing black mist rose from the ground around him. The young god's body was lifted out of Fenrir's hands by the blackness that had slowly wrapped its way around him. Flashes of red and gold could be seen through the mist.

As suddenly as it had appeared the mist was gone, leaving Neo suspended in the air dressed in a new set of armor. Gold metal was fastened to black leather, and dressed with red cloth. His armor was fit for a King and Neo seemed more regal than Odin. White hair drifted in an invisible breeze. Eyes still closed Neo began to drift back down to the Rainbow Bridge, where his feet landed soundlessly. Finally, his eyes opened; they were the same shade of green as before but were glowing with immeasurable power.

Neo's lips parted but it wasn't just his voice that came out, "What a fool you are Odin Borson, to harm the Master of Death," Neo said, but his voice was overlaid by Death's. "And what has caused such actions? I will tell you; it was your fear, your pride, and your arrogance. Oh how you have fallen Allfather, through wisdom and into idiocy."

Odin lashed out at this slight, targeting Neo with Gungnir and unleashing the same white energy as before.

Neo just raised a hand and the energy faded before it came close, with a twitch of his fingers Gungnir jerked out of Odin's hand and landed in his outstretched palm. (Death is inside of Neo head and giving him her power, but it's not a possession and I will explain later, so don't worry )

Death's voice came out slightly louder than Neo's this time, "You think it wise to threaten Death? Or perhaps you wish to kill two of your grandsons in one day?" Neo's eyes narrowed into glowing green slits. "I am sick of cleaning up your messes, it's time you learned a lesson. For your actions against other gods, namely your own grandsons, you Odin Borson will relinquish the title of Ruler of Asgard to your wife, and she will hold the mantle until such a time as you learn compassion. Until that day, you will be silent.

"But if you find your punishment too cruel; I can turn you into a worm and feed you to your ravens," Neo finished with a threat.

"You cannot do that, you have no power here!" Odin bellowed.

Suddenly, Death's power raged strongly, and became an oppressive gravity threatening to crush those present. The reply that came drowned out Odin's words, not in volume but power, "I can do what I like!" Death's voice was once again louder than Neo's as they spoke in tandem, "As Master of Death my word is Law across the Universe, and Death is my Authority. You may be King, Odin Allfather, but I am the Voice of Death Eternal and if you do not understand what that means…it means I out-rank you. Now be silent, you old goat," Neo waved a hand and the words that Odin would have spoken next were caught in his throat, and would never pass his lips until the King of gods had learned his lesson.

Neo let go of Gungnir, but due to its status as the symbol of Asgard's ruler, it passed Odin and hovered in front of Frigga in anticipation before she wrapped her delicate hand around the shaft.

"All hail, Frigga Allmother, ruler of Asgard," Neo said to everyone present. Death spoke directly to Frigga next, "I have faith in you Allmother, for you have the potential to rule with a firm and fair hand equally. Do not let me down."

Frigga gave a small bow to show Neo's status as superior in rank, "I vow to rule Asgard to the best of my abilities, Master of Death."

"I can ask for nothing more," Death's power started to subside and as it waned Neo's hair started to regain its former color, as if someone was pouring paint on his head.

"Now tell me, what has happened here," Frigga asked Loki who was closest to her.

Loki made sure to include everything, from the time he left for his diplomatic mission to Jotunheim until Odin showed up and helped save Amora. His explanation was to the point and only took a few minutes, but Loki felt he should add more, "I know that I allowed the deception to go on when I should have stopped it, for that I apologize, but Amora's actions were unlike her. Amora's loyalty to Asgard has always been without question. I could not believe that she would try to assassinate her Prince solely on her own whim."

"My brother speaks the truth," Thor affirmed, "I saw with mine own eyes as the Lady Amora was released from our true enemy's control."

"Very well, my sons have shown reason in their defense of Lady Amora and I detect no lies. She will not be punished; guards release her and Skurge the Executioner."

"Skurge," Amora whispered as she stood beside the unconscious man. Her soft call seemed to rouse him, and Skurge opened his eyes to see her leaning over him. "Oh, what have I done to you?"

He responded, while rising from the ground, "You had nothing to do with this, Lady Amora. I am a warrior and I win or lose a fight by my own strength."

"Yet, I have made you fight for me. I know now what it is like to be under the will of another, to have no power over your own actions. I know the terrible crimes I have committed against Asgard, and worst of all was to make you comply with my demands.

"I do not ask you for forgiveness, because I will never forgive the one who did this to me," Amora's anger caused her to hiss out the last part of her sentence. "But…I apologize."

"There is nothing to forgive. I once swore my allegiance to you, and I am prepared to die for you. My loyalty has recently been divided and caused conflict this day. I would never hesitate to defend you, but I my honor could not let me act against that person or her companions." Skurge seemed almost guilty as he spoke.

The Enchantress almost seemed hurt by his words, "Who commands such loyalty from you?"

The warrior looked ready to stab his eye out in shame, "I know not where my Lady has gone, once she bested me in battle I was brought here and lost sight of her."

"That person is still here, and I owe him my life as well," Amora said turning to face Neo.

Neo smiled and shrugged, "What can I say, I'm just a "save everyone and the world" kind of guy."

Amora gave him a sexy smirk and bat her lashes as she spoke in a husky tone, "How splendid, to know I am worth saving."

Neo smiled good-naturedly as he chuckled. Then he looked at Skurge, "You've got your hands full, mate.

"And speaking of having your hands full, I don't think this will be easy to clean-up," he said as he looked at the damaged gate room with blown controls and damaged mechanisms.

Frigga answered from where she stood beside her silently furious husband, "Nothing the builders cannot fix and it could have been much worse. How does Jotunheim fair, Heimdall?"

There was a minute's pause, "There is some minor damage but the Bifrost was not open long. The Frost Giants live," he answered dispassionately.

"Hmm, you make it sound so fascinating," Neo quipped before he felt a weight abruptly clinging to him. Looking to the face that was tucked into the side of his neck, Neo found Fenrir with the other's arms wrapped around his chest.

"Do you two need some "alone time"?" Jormungandr said from where he stood behind the wolf god and was smiling, watching as Neo hugged his little brother back. The Midgard Serpent could feel the phantom pain from nearly losing his new cousin, and would have been hugging him too, if he wasn't as tense as a coiled snake. He did not want to stand any closer to the god that had put him in a magical cage like an animal. Odin may not be the King right now, but Jormungandr was afraid Odin would find a way to cage him again. He knew it was silly to think like that but he couldn't help it, after all irrational fears are often the strongest.

"Whatever, you're just jealous because I got to feel Neo's boobs and you didn't…OUCH!" Fenrir said before exclaiming at the bump on his head from Neo's fist. He had both hands on top of his head trying to rub the pain away.

"Did you just admit to feeling me up?" Neo questioned in a dangerously quite tone.

"Ha-hah…um, no? It was just a joke! I remembered that they were right here," he gestured to his face, "when you fell. And, you know…in hindsight it's kind of funny, right?"

"You should just stop talking," Jo advised, the silent words 'unless you have a death wish' was heavily implied.

A familiar chiming giggle made Neo turn his head. "I can't blame him, Neo is a very pretty girl," spoke Death from the edge of the Rainbow Bridge where she sat dangling her feet. Her black tank top and shorts looked out of place.

"We thought you had left us, Death," the words came from Frigga, but everyone had been thinking the same thing, except for Volstagg who is always thinking about food.

"I am everywhere, and appear anywhere I choose," Death said casually, "I stuck around because I am sure Neo has questions for me."

"For sure," Neo agreed.

"Then I will be taking everyone back to Midgard, at least everyone who chooses to come," Death said glancing at Thor. The Asgardian prince may have fallen in love with the woman, but Death knew it was Jane's Fate to die a mortal, and was sure that knowledge was reflected in her eyes. But if Thor could tell he did not let it change how he felt.

"Must you go so soon?" Frigga asked, "You have only just arrived in our halls."

"Thank you for your kind invitation, Allmother, but perhaps some other time."

Thor walked up to his son and nephews, "You must promise to keep each other safe."

"You're not coming?" Neo questioned his father.

"No," was the soft reply. The look on his son's face made him wish he could go, but Asgard needed to appear strong in the face of this recent attack. Thor also knew that many would speak out, from Asgard as well as the other realms, when they hear that Frigga now controls the ruling seat of Asgard. He could not divide the power of the royal family at this point, it was too dangerous.

"Thor and I must stay. It would be folly to leave now," Loki explained.

Frigga walked up to her three grandsons, "I wish you to know that the halls of Asgard will always have a place for you, as will my heart, my dears." When she was finished talking Frigga placed a kiss on each of their foreheads.

The warriors three and Sif finally stepped forward; Hogun remained silent but nodded meaningfully to Neo and the other two. Volstagg kept his chin up and expressed his surprise at finding out that Neo was Thor's son. Sif refused to make eye contact giving a curt "well done". Fandral had the most to say and his words were directed at Neo.

Fandral put on his gentleman charm as he bent at the waist to bestow a kiss on Neo's hand, "I was not lying during our first meeting, you are fairest. Thou may truly be a man, but even so, I will remember thy womanly continence in my dreams."

"Thank you…?" Neo said with a puzzled face. Leaning over, he whispered in Jormungandr's ear, "Did he just say what I think he said?"

Jo held back a laugh, "That depends. What do you think he said?"

'This guy is so asking for this, and I'm going to give it to him,' Neo thought as he put on a look of being offended and turned back to Fandral, "Oh, so I'm not attractive as a man?"

Fandral was shocked and stumbled over his reply, "N-Nay,…my words seem to have betrayed me. For…I only meant to say that thou art a graceful and striking woman, whose beauty is so surreal as to be too magnificent. Yet, while they feminine whiles did enrapture me at first glance, thy manly charm is no less superior."

"So you mean that because I'm so attractive, it doesn't matter what gender I am?" Neo paused and raised an eyebrow.

Fandral breathed a sigh of relief. As a man who regularly charmed women, Fandral was not used to anyone misinterpreting his flirty banter. Thankfully it appeared that his current pursuit had understood his meaning at last, "Truly."

"Meaning that you can't find anything else to like about me, not my strength, kindness, or abilities as a warrior; because as long as I'm pretty nothing else matters, right? I'm just an object for you to admire, and it's a good thing that I'm attractive as a man, because beauty is all there is and you wouldn't like me otherwise. Am I to assume that's what you mean?" The stone wall that Neo's face had become, did not give away his enjoyment at watching "the charming gentleman" squirm.

Fandral back peddled, "O-of course not! I…"

The green caped warrior was halted in his rambling by the laugh that came from Loki and a few others.

"Can you not see that my nephew is teasing you, my friend," Loki asked.

"Hah, well if that is the case. I have found something else to admire about you," he told Neo, "Thy wit can flummox the most charismatic of men. Perhaps I have a chance to win your attention after all, for any lesser man would fall short before thy cunning."

"That's enough Fandral, I do not see anything to like about one who is so wholly detestable in manners that they cannot even accept a compliment," Sif said.

Neo forced a smile, "That's rich, coming from a jealous bigot like you. Or did you forget that you insulted me the first time we met?"

"Jealous!" the female warrior screeched.

"Oh please, it's obvious. While you live in denial, anyone can see how you are jealous that men don't find you easily approachable. You're a hypocrite! You try so hard to show everyone that you are a strong warrior, so that you can stand out, but when men find you intimidating and distant you blame them for having a weak spine. And don't think I didn't realize you're real problem with me is the fact I can be a strong warrior without being unsociable. I make you feel inferior, and you're afraid that it will make you seem awful in front of the person you are trying to impress…You blame others when it's your own fault that Thor sees you as a fellow warrior and not a possible wife!" Neo would have handled something like this the same way he had solved his problem with Clarisse. Thanks to the Wizarding War he hated fighting when it could be avoided, but this time he pushed every button he could and waited for Sif's anger to get the best of her.

He didn't have to wait long. When Sif realized that he had come to the right conclusion and voiced it in front of Thor himself, she was overcome with rage.

"Liar!" Sif yelled as she threw a fist toward his face, "I'm going to cut out your deceitful tongue!"

Neo ducked under her fist as he thrust his hand against her stomach. The pressure on her abdomen forced out the air in Sif's lungs.

She was trying to regain her breath when Neo spoke again, "You wish I was lying because it would mean that you aren't your own worst enemy. Just stop pretending that you can put your status as a woman aside, being a woman is not a weakness or something that makes you mediocre. If not for your attitude, you would be very attractive. You are strong and independent, but you refuse to acknowledge that you are tender and compassionate. You reject that part of yourself, and it's enough that no one can reach your heart. Maybe it's not the lack of effort by others, but that you refuse to open up your heart to them." Neo could feel the air around them change as his words settled into Sif's mind and her anger gave way to dejected realization.

Neo looked around at everyone before he sighed, it seemed that he wasn't the first to realized the damage Sif was causing herself, "A word of advice, our choices define us, but we can always choose to change. Good luck," and with that Neo turned to Death and nodded. The last face Neo saw as Death teleported them away was his father's. Thor's smile was as bright as ever.


	5. Chapter 4

The Law of Three

Chapter 4

The first thing Neo noticed as he viewed his latest surroundings was the familiar wing-back chairs in Death's study, "Why are we here?" he asked, impulsively voicing the question that popped into his head.

Death skipped to the coffee table that had a variety of cookies piled onto a white plate in the center and picked one up before taking a seat in her normal chair. "I thought it would be more private."

'Speaking of privacy,' he thought, "Where are Fenrir and Jormungandr?"

"I took them back to Earth. We wouldn't want SHIELD to see you showing up with them, now would we?" Death smiled, "That was very smart, by the way. Oh! Would you like one?" she questioned while holding out the plate of cookies. Neo stayed silent and didn't accept the offer, which made Death frown, "What's wrong, Master? You're being broody, when you should be celebrating saving Jotunheim and Asgard."

"I don't really feel like it after finding out that you lied to me…"

Death's eyes narrowed at him, "If you recall, I do not like to be accused of being a liar, besides I did not lie to you."

"Really? How about when you told me I was the Master of Death, or that we are "Soul Mates"? That was a lie; I am NOT the Master of Death, we are NOT soul mates!" Neo paused to take a deep breath. He spoke again after calming slightly, "I am nothing, and I could feel it," Neo said in a vulnerable tone. "Back in Asgard, when you where in MY head there was no "you", or "me", or "we"…it was just "I, Death". Like a grain of sand on a beach, I was just a small insignificant speck of everything that makes up you. We were the same and I was…am a part of you…Why didn't you tell me?" Neo swallowed thickly trying to calm his emotional upheaval, "Tell me the truth…please?"

When she spoke, Death's voice was soft, "I did say that "soul mate" was the best term for us not the only term, and Master of Death is merely a title, but if that bothers you so much, are you sure you can handle the truth? Most people don't really want the truth, you know? They just want the constant reassurance that what they believe is the truth.

"So, what truth did you want to hear? That I took a piece of my essence and placed it into a mortal vessel, and that by doing so I was fulfilling an ancient prophesy foretold by Fate; cursing part of myself to a mortal existence. Or did you want me to tell you that you will never cease to exist? Because as Death Eternal I am endless, and (as part of me) so are you. And thanks to my omnipotence, I knew how things would turn out. My only consolation being that I was able to make it easier for you," a tinge of sorrow had colored Death's voice be the end of her confession.

"So I'm just a part of you with a mind of my own, like a split personality…Am I even real?" The tormented feeling growing inside of him at his own question left him exhausted. Neo closed his eyes and bow his head as he fell into the chair across from Death. Neo heaved a sigh and wished that he could just curl up until he could accept what was going on. Neo asked the final question on his mind, "What's going to happen now?"

"For now? Live…Love…just be happy and have fun. All you have to do is be you, and I will be me. We may be the same soul, but we have different bodies, which is vital because you are flesh and blood, and I am not.

"I am not anything close to being mortal, I never was or will be, which mean I can only empathize with the dead. You are different. You identified yourself as a simple mortal once and can feel emotions like mortals. Being able to feel those emotions through you helps me remain sympathetic, which makes you more important than you will ever know. I need you to keep being you, and I will worry about the rest."

A deathly silence that felt like it lasted for hours fell over the room, but it was interrupted by a voice in Neo's head.

" _Alpha sad?_ "

Looking around the room, Neo found the source of the familiar voice; rising from his resting place was Zoul. Thanks to the color of his fur Neo had not noticed the shadow wolf in the darkest corner of the room.

Leaning back into the soft cushions, Neo propped his elbow up on the armrest of his chair and slowly massaged his forehead. "Yeah…but it's alright."

Zoul laid his large head on Neo's lap and pushed his wet nose into the gods abdomen, " _Alpha should pet Zoul then Alpha will be happy again_ ," the child-like spirit said in a tone that indicated he had just imparted great words of wisdom.

Neo let out a huff of amusement and started rubbing Zoul's fuzzy black ears with the hand not supporting his head. Maybe it was the comforting companionship, but Neo was starting to calm down, "And how are you feeling?"

" _Zoul is happy Alpha is here_ ," the shadow cub replied.

"I mean, do you feel better after what happened in the Underworld?"

" _Zoul if fine_ ," he replied while wagging his tail, " _White Hair has bunches and bunches of evil people for Zoul to eat. Like the nasty ones that hurt Alpha's mate_."

There was a puzzled look on Neo's face as he questioned, "White hair? And, who did what now?"

Death answered as she flipped a piece of hair over her shoulder, "Apparently it's a nickname for me…I'm waiting for him to grow out of it. And, he was talking about the souls of the terrorists that captured Tony. I did promise to put them to good use," her genuinely happy smile was slightly off putting.

" _They were yummy, Zoul ate them all_ ," the pup replied with the same morbid enthusiasm as Death.

"Hmm, that's…fascinating. But, if he's feeling better, that means that he can leave, right?" Neo asked Death.

"Yes, I give him a full bill of health, so he's ready to go whenever you are."

A happy yip came from the head in Neo's lap and Zoul's hind end was shaking his whole body.

"I would keep a close eye on him though. Shadow cubs are notorious for getting into trouble, and he hasn't cut his adult teeth yet so you should find things for him to chew on before he starts shredding everything in sight," Death mentioned.

Neo looked at the dagger sized teeth in the grinning shadow wolf's mouth, "Adult teeth?" he asked in a voice that had raised a few octaves.

"Yes, those are just his puppy teeth, not even "pre-teen" ones. His adult teeth will be much longer and sharper while the upper canines will be several feet long, and able to bite through almost anything. Not to mention that when he is fully grown he will be larger than a bus. After all, there size is why Shadow Wolves needed to live away from humans. The Shadow Wolf himself could step over mountains and carve out valleys with a swipe of his claws. His howls and barks were so strong that they caused major earthquakes. A swish of his tail would stir up a storm, and if he was feeling particularly lazy it could take an hour for him to pass by."

Trying to imagine the enormous figure of the ancient beast left Neo speechless. The young god was almost thankful that Zoul was only going to be a fraction of the Shadow Wolf's size, but it saddened him to know that such an amazing creature was now gone, leaving Zoul as his only legacy.

Sensing his alpha's sadness Zoul raised his head and licked Neo's face in a show of comfort.

Neo's face contorted into a look of revulsion as drool covered the left side of his face and dripped from his chin. He quickly cast a cleaning charm before he gagged. Death had started giggling uncontrollably after seeing the look on Neo's face. When he had regained his composer, Neo sent Death a sharp glare that made her erupt into peals of laughter.

Noticing her happy mood Zoul moved over to Death hoping that her happy mood meant she would play with him. In his excitement, Zoul used a little too much force when he nudged her chair and gave a bark. The push toppled the chair and Death along with it.

Amused, Neo's glare broke and he snorted before he started laughing. Death blinked in surprise from her sprawled position on the floor before she started giggling again. The bubbly atmosphere soothed the frayed nerves from before, and when their laughter had died down Neo let out a content sigh.

Death got up and the chair righted itself. She walked over to Neo and wrapped her arms around him, cradling his head against her large bosom.

"It's almost time for you to go. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I didn't know how. We are the same soul in two different bodies, but I do not control you. One of the Laws I uphold is that all living things have their own free will. I have told you before that your will is your own, and that is true. You are still you, Neo Evan Thorson, Son of Hermes and Thor, and Chosen of Hecate. The only change is, now you are closer to understanding what I mean when I say "I am all things, at all times, and in all places". And don't ever call yourself insignificant or I will have to tell Fate you said that, and you never know what she will do to prove you wrong," Death finished sternly.

"Oh no, don't do that, please. Whatever you do, not that," Neo mumbled into Death's collar with a dreary tone as his words dripped with sarcasm. His lips formed a smile as he heard Death laugh.

Neo heard the words, " _Good bye_ ," and the next second he was back in the SUV with Elric at the wheel, and Zoul sitting next to him. Glancing back he saw himself as Thyra talking to the group about to leave for Asgard.

Elric could feel Neo's presence behind him and knew that the real Neo was sitting in the back seat again, while noting the creature he had seen on his first meeting with the young god. "Master?" he questioned.

"It's nothing, just a simple paradox," he replied with a smirk. "Let's keep going back to Jane's lab, but tell the others to take the Destroyer back to Eternia and see if they can repair it. That should give them something to do for awhile. Once they are done we can send it back to the Allmother."

Elric raised a questioning brow but only said, "As you wish, Master."

Felling slightly bored Neo asked, "Elric, what's your favorite color?"

"I have no preferences, Master."

"But if you had to chose?"

"Well, I am not sure about a favorite…though I have become particularly fond of emerald green as of late," the spirit said as he gave a meaningful look at the young god in the rearview mirror. "We are here, my Lord."

The servant's words were confirmed when Neo looked out the window to see the glass doors of Jane's lab. Neo got out when Elric opened his door and walked inside, but Zoul wanted to explore so the shadow wolf circled around the building. The white and silver form of Constance stood next to the doors.

"Thank you for your help. I will be leaving soon. You can return to Camp whenever you want to," he said as he pats her nose.

" _Well, I suppose it was not as inconvenient as it could have been. It is nice to get out of those stuffy stables from time to time. I will be expecting compensation and plenty of sugar cubs after this._ "

Being used to the Pegasus' usually haughty attitude, Neo was able to realize that it was her way of saying 'you're welcome', so he just said, "You got a deal."

Constants left soon after, turning away from the sun and toward Ney York.

Inside Neo sat and text Tony, telling him that he would be back sometime tomorrow. Tony didn't reply immediately so Neo guessed the genius was busy.

About an hour and a half later Jane, Eric, Darcy, Jormungandr and Fenrir had come back. When the two scientists came in they started to pack up what was left of their equipment, while the two Sons of Loki came in and draped themselves over Neo. Both started exclaiming how they were tired and he should come to bed with them. When he mentioned that they were both capable of going to sleep by themselves, it was Jormungandr who argued. He told Neo that the only way he and his brother would be able to sleep after seeing Neo die would be to have him next to them.

"It's an animal thing," Jormungandr stated as he lay across Neo's back with his head resting on the younger's.

Pausing in her packing, Jane interrupted as she realized what Jormungandr had said before, "Wait, when you say he 'died'…?"

The three gods explained to the mortals what had happened while they were in Asgard. Reactions to the battle varied, but Neo saw the sad look on Jane's face when she heard that Thor would not be coming back anytime soon.

Curious about what SHIELD was up to Neo asked, "So, what did the agents do after you two came back?"

Fenrir shrugged from his spot on Neo's lap, "Not much, they just left, but they offered Thor's girlfriend a job since she was totally right about the Bifrost being some scientific thingy."

"The Einstein-Rosen Bridge," Jane corrected.

"Sure, whatever," Fenrir said while shaking his head.

Neo saw Jane purse her lips, and decided now was a good time to leave. "Elric, could you go start the car, please."

"Where are you going?" Darcy asked from her spot at the table, where she had been playing games on her phone.

A split second after the girl spoke Fenrir whined, "But I don't want to go back to Camp, it's so boring." The wolf god let out a dramatic grown as he threw back his head.

"You don't have to go," Jane added.

Neo smiled at the woman, "I think it's time to part ways, for now. I can tell you accepted the offer, by the way you're packing up, or not in her case," he glanced at Darcy. "You have my number already, and I have yours, so there is no reason we can't keep in touch. But I think this is where we say goodbye."

"Well it looks like history got it right; gods certainly are a force of nature. First Thor and then you, after coming in and changing how we view everything you're suddenly leaving," Eric said as his goodbye.

Jane put down the box she had been caring and stepped closer to the three gods. "I won't forget this, any of it."

"And you shouldn't," Jormungandr replied.

"Besides, Thor will be back. He's head-over-heels in major-like with you. If I know anything about Asgardians it's that they are totally serious, they don't even take having a crush lightly. It's not even cool to have a casual girlfriend, unless you eventually plan on having babies. Which there is like a hundred percent chance of, 'cause he's a god, and…" Fenrir was suddenly silenced by a hand being placed over his mouth.

"Thanks, now that you've successfully mortified Ms. Foster I believe you're done here," Neo said before letting go of a sheepish looking wolf god.

"Sorry," Fenrir muttered.

Darcy did not look up from her phone when she spoke, "Good things can't last forever, but I think I have enough pictures to last a while. I'm just sad that there isn't going to be any more hot guys falling from the sky," she commented with a sarcastic smirk.

"Be careful what you wish for," Neo cautioned the brunette. Looking at the mortals he smiled, "Until next time," he said before walking out the door with Fenrir and Jormungandr following behind.

Outside Neo paused before getting into the vehicle. After Neo admitted a shrill whistle from his pursed lips, Zoul came running out of the shadows and jumped into the back seat of the SUV. A screech was heard as Argyros flew overhead. When everyone was in the car, Elric drove away. Neo looked out of the back window and found the two scientists and their intern waving from the lab doors.

"I take it we are going back to Mr. Stark's home, Master?"

"Not yet, there is something that has been bugging me for awhile. Take Jormungandr and Fenrir back to Tony's. I'll meet you there."

"Wait, where are you going?" the Serpent god asked.

Neo gave a mischievous grin before he pointed to his right and answered, "That way," and with that vague reply Neo was gone, teleporting away.

Fenrir grumbled and started to pout, "Aw, really? I am so giving him a piece of my mind when he gets back. He's not allowed to just leave us like that. First it was Helheim, then after we returned from Asgard. If I didn't know any better I would say he didn't like us."

Fenrir paused in his rant when he was interrupted by Jormungandr, "Brother?"

"Yeah?"

"Go to sleep."

In his current mood Fenrir became even more incensed and began to ramble non-stop.

While trying to ignore the chatty wolf god; Elric finally decided that to maintain his sanity he would have to make sure his master never left the Sons of Loki alone again, at least not with him.

 ***Break***

Neo appeared on the same overhang where he had first seen the SHIELD base. Ruling out casting a simple disillusionment charm due to the highly observant agents, Neo used his ring to turn invisible and snuck past the fence.

While observing the agents Neo found them doing exactly what he was expecting. Since the item SHIELD had been studying had vanished and anyone with knowledge of the item had similarly disappeared, it was time to leave. The agents were breaking down the temporary base and moving out; in the middle of it all was Agent Coulson directing each team. Neo walked up beside Coulson but chose to wait to reveal himself instead of risk getting shot.

Phil had finally gotten everything coordinated when he received a call, "Agent Coulson…I don't have anything new, Director…I know sir, but the big blonde who went under the alias Thor just disappeared with the other four and his daughter…No sir, there was a giant multi-colored tornado that came out of the sky. We didn't have a chance to stop them…No, I am sure that we were not under the influence of any hallucinogens but I did take blood samples, just in case…Understood, I will contact you if anything else happens before I return to base."

Neo slipped in behind Coulson as the agent entered his office and started to file away the documents that had been scattered across his desk.

A low level privacy ward was enough to knock out the one camera and several microphones in the head agent's office. He leaned against the door and took on a casual air before he spoke, "Your director sounds like he has his knickers in a twist."

Watching as the agent's spine become even straighter than his normally perfect posture Neo knew he should tread with caution, but that didn't stop him admiring the man from this angle.

"This area is off limits. How did you get in here?" Phil questioned as he turned around.

"I took a car and walked some of the way. Though something tells me that's not the answer you're looking for. What's on your mind, Agent?" he asked with a sly grin.

"Well aside from the fact you just snuck into a secure SHIELD base, I would like to know what has been going on here. And something is telling me that you know more than you should, am I right?"

Neo slowly started to walk around the room, thanks to his ADHD making it impossible to stay still. Running a finger along the top of the work desk Neo answered in a bored tone, "Oh, I know quite a few things that I shouldn't, so you'll have to be more specific."

Phil reached out and grabbed the younger man's hand before he could riffle through the papers still on the desk. Ignoring the electric tingling sensation that went through him at the contact Phil said, "Please don't, that information is classified, and I can't let you leave with those files if that's what you want."

There was no holding back the amused huff as Neo gazed down at the hand still on top of his, "What use would I have for your files if I already know more than you?"

"Why don't you tell me? You're the one who snuck into a secure SHIELD area, and I'm sure it wasn't for a chat."

A mischievous smirk appeared on his face, as Neo took his eyes off of their still joined hands to gaze into the agent's eyes, "But would you believe me; if I said I was a god and am looking for one of my soul mates?"

Standing so close to Neo, Coulson thought he was drowning in the younger man's glowing eyes and he felt a tingling sensation race through him from where he was still holding that wondering hand. Phil quickly let go of Neo's hand and saw a twinge of sadness cross his face. "I would have to say that stranger things have happened, but it does sound a little farfetched."

"Tell me about it," Neo mumbled before speaking louder, "Still, that's the honest truth. Even if I don't know who or how many, I do know that I have already found two of them, and I'm standing in front of one of them, right now."

"I'm flattered, but if this is a tactic to learn what I know, I…"

"Again, with thinking that all I want is information out of you," he sighed in mock exasperation, "Is it so hard to believe that I want you for your body?" he asked in amusement. "Granted, that's not the only reason I am coming to you now. I won't deny you're not bad on the eyes, but I was feeling overly charitable and decided to fill in some of the blanks you might have; though there is a catch. Isn't it an American saying, "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours," or just some gutted and abridged proverb?"

"It's just a saying." Phil answered in a monotone voice, as he worked out what the younger man's angle really was. "What's the catch?"

Neo gave him an 'are you really this thick' look, "I want you."

"Let's skip over the fact that slavery was abolished in this country, because I'm pretty sure that's not what you meant, and go straight to the part where I say; you're going to have to be more specific."

"Fair enough; you are my soul mate, and that makes you extremely special. As my soul mate you already carry a piece of me that I never knew was missing, but I know I cannot live without. Having a soul mate is something that makes men whole, and gods jealous." When Phil just continues to stare at him, Neo tried again, "I'm asking you out on a date, Phil, a genuine date."

There was a pause before Phil said, "Okay."

Neo was shocked and it took him a few seconds to respond, "Okay, just like that?"

"Yes, but I want the information first and in writing," the agent said in a business tone.

"No," the god replied bluntly, "But how about this, I'll tell you what you want to know as long as you promise not to put it in your records or tell anyone else. In exchange for your full confidentiality I will be completely truthful. Eventually that information will be brought to light and you will be able to talk about it freely, just not right now. Of course, you will still be able to speak with anyone who was involved. That's all I ask."

"I can't agree to that," Phil was trying to hide his annoyance as he spoke. "That information could be vital to saving lives."

"Or, it could get people killed," the god argued. "What if I added a stipulation that allowed you to reveal the information when lives were in danger just not before? That is my only exception, so you can agree or say no."

Phil was able to tell that Neo was not going to budge, "Fine, I agree to your terms."

Neo smirked, "Then it's a deal," he said extending his hand.

Phil nodded and brought his hand up to meet Neo's. While their hands were clasped Phil felt the same sensation as the first time he touched the young man's hand, but there was also a slight pressure at his temples, before it was gone and their hands separated. Not knowing the implications of making a deal with a god, Phil shrugged it off.

A knock on the door had both men turning their heads. The agent would have said something but the door opened and a familiar archer walked in.

Clint looked curiously at the two men, "Sorry to interrupt," he began.

"Oh no, it's fine, we're almost done," Neo said, dismissing the apology. Turning back to Phil he asked, "So, how does Thursday sound?"

"Excuse me?" the senior agent asked.

The god smiled, "For our date; how does Thursday sound?"

Clint's eyebrows had already jumped into his hairline when he heard the question, so his face had a hard time expressing how even more shocked he was at the reply.

With complete nonchalance Phil said, "That's fine, I should be free after two."

"Good!" Neo's smile brightened. "Well it looks like you're busy, so I'll see you later."

The god practically skipped to the door. After opening the door Neo paused for a moment and turned to Phil with a mischievous smile, "I forgot to ask if you liked my cooking, oh well, maybe next time?" With that last question lingering in the silence Neo left.

Phil quickly went to the door, but when he opened it and looked down the hall Neo was gone.

"What was that all about?" Clint asked peering over his handlers shoulder.

Phil sighed, "I'm not really sure anymore…did you need something Barton?"

 ***Break***

Walking out Phil's office door Neo stepped into the town diner. He nodded as Rosa, the owner, pointed him to an open table. Neo had chosen to stop there since it would be a while for the others to get to Tony's. Choosing to order a chocolate milkshake Neo sat at the counter.

The waitress came by to pick up the empty ice cream dish but paused, "Una mas?" She pointed with one finger to the empty glass that had once held his shake.

Neo knew he was a chocoholic and he should not indulge so much, even if he had the metabolism of a god, but he still had some time to himself, "Why not?"

He finished his second shake and got another one to go before he paid and left. It had just gotten dark, so the sun should be setting in Malibu. The cool air made goose bumps appear on his arms, but Neo chose to walk to the outside of town before he turned down an alley and disappeared.

Reappearing at the gate of Tony's home Neo walked up the drive. Entering the inventor's mansion he was greeted by the artificial butler, "Hello Mr. Thorson, welcome back."

"Hey, Jarvis. Where's Tony?" Neo asked heading into the living room.

There was a suspicious pause, "Mr. Stark is currently preoccupied."

"Well I was just going to say good night before I head to bed, so where is he?"

"Upstairs, in his room," the A.I. said after another pause.

 ***Meanwhile-Upstairs***

There had been a party for the unveiling of new technology and Tony had been there to show off one of his latest non-weaponized inventions. Knowing that he was expected to bring a date Tony decided to do one better and called up two of the supermodels that he still had the number of, because if people expected him to have one date he would just have to bring two.

The two girls looked gorgeous when he picked them up and put every other female at the party to shame. But, Tony couldn't stop thinking about Neo and how he looked better than anyone there, even while covered in grease.

As far as inventions go his was the best of them all and the party wasn't very exciting, but Tony loved the jealous look on Justin Hammer's face when they bumped into each other. So, the evening wasn't a total bust, especially when the two women accompanied him back to his home.

Tony wasn't sure how he had made it upstairs after Trisha (or was it Lindsey?) had jumped him at the front door, but suddenly he felt himself falling onto the bed. Two bodies landed on the mattress on either side of him.

"Sir, you have a guest."

"I'm a little busy Jarvis," Tony got out before lips pressed against his and two pairs of soft hands worked to undress him. He pressed their bodies closer and ran his hands up their backs.

"He is very insistent, Sir."

 ***Back with Neo***

As his foot touched the 2nd floor landing, Neo heard shuffling from Tony's room. Guessing that the inventor was up Neo called out to say good night as he opened the door, "Tony, I…" as his gaze locked on Tony's bed Neo's words caught in his throat and he suddenly couldn't breathe. The cup in his hand fell and spilled staining the white floors. His other hand let go of the door handle to unconsciously cover his mouth, leaving the door to slowly start to shut.

Tony pushed his head between the shoulders of the two women, and saw Neo standing at the door staring at him with a stunned expression, "Neo?"

Neo was unable to look away with his unblinking wide eyes, as the pain in his chest grew a hundred times worse becoming a black hole threatening to consume him. A desperate gasp finally brought air into his lungs, as tears started trailing down his pale-cheeks. The image of the three on the bed was blessedly obstructed as the door closed in Neo's face.

"Neo!"

But the attempt to call Neo back was in vain. The young god couldn't hear the inventor shout his name because at that moment the fledgling connections to two of his mates where causing him too much pain to focus on anything around him. Neo's soul was in turmoil as feelings of rejection started to fray his bonds with Tony and Phil.

A fraction of Neo's pain filtered through the connections he had made with Argyros, Elric, Tony, and the small one that had started to form with Phil Coulson; each feeling the ache in a different way.

The emotional tempest raging inside of Neo was causing his magic to go out of control. The unleashed power sought out an anchor to stabilize itself, but the closest anchor, soul mate, was the cause of the problem. Neo's magic spread wider rippling out until it found another soul mate that it had not bonded with yet and swept Neo away to the one it found in an uncontrolled Apparition.

Tony was getting up from the bed when he gasped at the sudden feeling of loss that overcame him. On the other side of the door there was a sound like a thunder clap, and the door almost flew off of the hinges. When Tony opened the door a few seconds later he found scorched carpet and what looked like burn marks from lightning strikes on the walls; but no Neo.

On the other side on the country from Malibu, California in North Salem, New York, Neo appeared on the front lawn of an old mansion.

 ***Break***

Walking around the old mansion was a little strange, with the metal hallways in the basement in opposition to the wood paneling on the ground floor and above. Then a bell went off in the semi-silence quickly followed by a ruckus of opening doors and voices.

Logan didn't know where he was, the last turn he had taken had led him back to the front door, again. He was starting to regret separating from his guide. 'This is ridiculous,' Logan told himself.

"Hey what's up with the weather?" a boy down the hall from Logan said as he stared out the window at a rapidly darkening sky.

The girl standing next to the boy took notice, "I don't know. Do you think Ms. Munroe is grading our English essays?"

A bright flash of lightening suddenly blinded those closest to the windows followed by a booming thunder clap. Screams and shouts came from several startled children.

A few seconds later a familiar male voice spoke inside of Logan's head and it looked like the others in the hall heard it too, " _Everyone, please stay away from the windows, and head to the back of the mansion._ "

The older children started to lead the younger children down the halls to what Logan guessed was the back. Down one of the halls he watched as a white haired and mocha skinned woman came from the opposite direction. The elevator behind Logan opened and he looked to see an old man in a wheelchair.

"Professor," the woman called before she got closer, "I can't make it stop, Charles. Do you know what's happening?"

Charles, closed his eyes and the wrinkles on his forehead deepened. "I can tell that someone is outside, but there is something wrong. Jean, Scott," he said as a brunette man and redhead woman came around the corner, "accompany Ororo outside and see if you can find who is causing this disturbance. They may need your help."

"Alright, Professor," Scott said, and lead the women out the front doors.

Logan watched the sexy redhead walked away with a smirk on his face. He didn't know if it was possible to be even more attractive over time, but she seemed even better looking than the last time he had seen her in the lab down stairs. Before coming here, it had been a while since he had been in a woman's company, and watching her walk away was making Logan remember his more basic needs. But, he instantly became interested in something else when the door was opened and he caught a scent from outside. Not caring that he didn't have shoes on, Logan walked outside after the other three.

The strong wind blowing outside made Ororo and Jean squint, so Scott and Logan were the first ones to see someone standing on the other side of the drive. Around the figure was chaos, as the ground was scarred by whipping wind and white lightning strikes that seemed to get worse.

Neo wasn't focused on the four people approaching him, because he couldn't stop seeing Tony with those two women, over and over. As the image flashed through his mind, the storm got worse.

Ororo tried to calm the storm but it seemed to lash out at her, as a bolt of lightning struck the ground in front of her. The lightning didn't hurt her, but it struck the ground with the force of an explosion that knocked her away. She lay on the ground unconscious.

"Storm!" Jean called out to the African woman. Fearing what might happen next, the redhead used her powers to make the stranger stop but was unable to enter their mind. The raging winds wrapped around Jean and spun her into the air before throwing her down. Landing on the ground stunned her enough that she didn't immediately get up.

Scott seeing his girlfriend thrown through the air, planned to end things. The red beams that came out of his eyes met a force field of some type. Another lightning strike hit the ground throwing chunks of debris at Scott. He took out the largest ones, but was knocked out by the debris from another bolt that struck directly behind him.

Jean watched as Scott hit the ground and started to crawl toward him. As she placed her left hand in front of her, her head fell to the ground and she was suddenly down for the count.

Logan looked at the three from the mansion and watched as the redhead lost consciousness, before his eyes shifted to the green-eyed and white-haired woman, who appeared out of nowhere, standing beside the trio that were down for the count.

Her green eyes bore into Logan almost threateningly, "I am willing to give you a chance. Don't screw it up," she said before disappearing.

Logan had no idea what she meant, but as the storm grew impossibly stronger he saw he needed to do something. The three teachers had obviously done something to piss the stranger off. When he saw the man shoot some kind of laser from his eyes, Logan figured he really couldn't blame the new person for knocking him out.

Huffing at their stupidity for striking first against an unknown opponent, Logan left the three and stepped forward. The storm seemed to bend around him, easily allowing him to reach who he now knew was a young man. The younger male was hunched over clutching his head with long fingers threaded through black hair that wasn't moving in the wind, like the boy was standing in the eye of a hurricane.

When the scent from before filled his nose he felt his inner animal wakeup. It was a natural blend of male musk, a forest after a rain storm, a hint of spice, and ozone. The smell was surprisingly subtle but he could taste it on his tongue, and it was slowly driving him crazy as his inner beast fought to take control.

' _Mine_!' his instincts were screaming at him, (AN: It's not really a voice in his head, more like an impression of what his inner beast is sensing, a.k.a. primal instinct) and with that he was instantly concerned about what had upset the boy, because no one hurt what was his.

Logan had to yell to be heard over the wind, "Hey, kid!"

When he didn't get a response he tried again, "Hey!" He grabbed a hold of the younger man's arm, and pulled him close.

Neo was physically jolted from his thoughts when he felt two hot hands grab him and pull him into a warm body. He gasped in surprise as the feel of electricity ran just under the skin, and looked into the eyes of the person who was unexpectedly holding him.

When their eyes met the beast inside of him purred. Those jewel-like eyes were the most beautiful thing Logan had ever seen, and he completely forgot about any attraction he had felt for the redhead woman he just met, because no one would ever be more beautiful than the alluring creature in front of him.

With Neo's focus shifted his emotions calmed being replaced with an almost numb feeling. Clouds parted allowing the setting Sun to break through, and as a blazing, flame-colored beam of light illuminated them time seemed to stop and everything was silent, until Ororo groaned and started to get up.

Logan glanced at her before deciding she was alright and looked back at the angel in his arms, "You okay, kid?"

"No," was the groaned reply as the young god doubled over and expelled the contents of his stomach on the ground. Neo didn't have long to feel horrified for throwing-up on the man's feet; the stress of his magic going out of control had exhausted him after the day he had had.

Storm watched as the boy lost consciousness, and went limp in their guest's arms. But it looked like the man had it under control as he picked the other up into his arms. After rousing her unconscious cohorts, Ororo led everyone inside.

"And, who is this?" Charles asked as he saw his former students returning with an unexpected guest.

"You mean you don't know already, Professor?" the shades wearing man asked.

"No, Scott, I can honestly say that this young man appears to be a mystery."

This time it was the mocha skinned woman's turn to question the old man, "I am sure you can find out, Charles."

"Not at this time. The boy has a well guarded mind, and I am weary of causing him more stress. We will just have to wait until he wakes up."

Xavier looked to the rugged Canadian, "Logan, perhaps you can carry him down to the infirmary, so Jean can look him over? And, I'm sure Storm can find you another set of clothes."

The white-haired woman nodded and the three were quickly heading on their way to the infirmary.

After reluctantly leaving the black-haired beauty with Jean, Logan took a quick shower and dressed in a white sleeveless shirt and jeans. While he was in the shower, Logan had thought of his reaction to the new comer. He noticed how he was suddenly obsession with some strange kid that he had just met, but he couldn't shake the feeling. One whiff of that intoxicating scent, one look into those dazzling eyes, and Logan was overcome by feelings of lust, love, and serenity. For the first time he could remember he actually felt peace. In spite of, or maybe due to, that feeling Logan had developed the need to protect the gorgeous creature he had held in his arms, viscously if necessary, and it had not lessened in the time they were apart. (Not that he would ever say any of that mushy stuff, let alone out loud.)

The boots he now wore thudded on the ground when he walked and his dog tags clinked together as Logan came back into the medical room. The chemical smell burned his nose, but he couldn't think of anywhere else to go.

"How's he doin', Red?" Logan asked in his gruff tone.

Jean raised a brow at him, "He's fine aside from some signs of fatigue, and it doesn't look like he's going to wake-up any time soon. I was just about to move him to a room upstairs."

"I got him," Logan volunteered.

Jean gave him another curious look before shaking her head, "This way."

It was a short trip to the upper level where the bedrooms were and Jean opened the door to one of the vacant ones. Logan laid his burden down on the bed and would have sat down in the chair next to him, but the redhead stopped him.

"You don't need to stay. The professor will know when he wakes up."

The feral man nodded and left the room. Jean closed the door quietly behind them.

 ***Break***

There was no light streaming in through the windows, and it was quiet when Neo awoke. Looking around and wondering where he was after waking-up was not a new thing for him, so he did the usual check to make sure all of his limbs where intact but he felt incredibly stiff.

"Bugger, I think I got hit by the Knight Bus," Neo mumbled as he slowly edged out of the bed. He wasn't injured but everything ached. Neo conjured a small ball of light that finally let him see the small bedroom he was in. Seeing a mirror across from the foot of the bed, the god walked (more like limped) over to look at his reflection. The bruises under his eyes were so dark that they looked black, but he had looked worse before.

Finally noticing the dark sky outside Neo got the feeling he was forgetting something. Suddenly remembering that he was supposed to meet his cousins and servant at Tony's, Neo tried to apparate back; the key word being tried, because as soon as he summoned the magic to travel back to Malibu, Neo realized how exhausted he was. He had pooled the small amount of magic regained from his rest, but it wasn't enough to move that great of a distance, and only succeeded in seeing dark spots swim through his vision before everything went black.

It could have been a few minutes or an hour later when Neo regained consciousness. The first thing he really noticed was the feel of being held against a warm body as he was carried. Neo leaned closer to the person radiating an above average body temperature and the smell of something wild, "Remus?"

If Logan wasn't the gruff person he was he would have chuckled at the kitten-like reaction. As it was, the older man huffed out a grunt in reply. 'The kid must be tryin' to figure things out without opening his eyes, shame,' Logan thought as he remembered the stunning color of those ethereal orbs. Contrary to popular belief Logan wasn't a barbarian, he just didn't put up with peoples crap, so he would be gentle with the kid that must have been confused. Once he reached the guest bed, Logan carefully lowered the man in his arms down.

While he was being carried, Neo thought that Remus was carrying him to his room in Sirius' home after he had fallen asleep on the couch, again. 'But, that's not right. I remember Tony and… **those women** ' the last two words were a vicious curse in his mind, 'What happened after that? I don't remember coming back to camp. Oh wait, now I remember, last time I woke up I was…in a strange place!'

With his sleep muddled brain finally at a working speed, Neo came to an alarming understanding that he could be in danger. He felt hot air brush his cheek and Neo's mind suddenly conjured up a thousand different ideas, all of which were frightening. Green eyes shot open in sudden fear, only to be captured by feral steely-blue staring back at him.

Logan leaned in closer than necessary to the kids face while settling the younger male back onto the bed, and when viridian gems caught his wild blue gaze he froze.

Whack/Clang!

"Oh!"/"Ugh," While the noise was loud, both exclamations were voiced in shock, and not pain.

Neo had suddenly moved, and in his surprise he went to sit up and hit his head against the person leaning over him. And was it Neo's imagination or did it sound like he hit metal?

Both men shook their heads to ward off their surprise, and split apart; Neo lying back down while Logan moved away.

"Is that supposed to be a wake-up call, or are you trying to knock me back out?" the young god groused.

A deep rumble of amusement came from the older man's chest, "Don't ask me, Kid, you're the one who decided it would be a good idea to head-butt the guy that just picked you up out of the floor. I may not be the best at playing well with others, but I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to go around knocking heads together, unless you're pickin' a fight."

A smirk formed on Neo's full lips, "I'm not sure who you just insulted, me or you?"

"Huh, you got me there, kid," Logan leaned against the wall at the head of the bed.

The young god was perturbed at being called a kid, "My name is Neo."

The untamed man remembered the last time a kid had given him their name, Rogue, so he wasn't going to believe a name like, Neo, was real. There was a rumble of amusement again, and Neo realized it was a scoff, Logan replied, "Sure it is, and I'm the Easter Bunny."

"Well, you're hairy enough for the job," the god replied sarcastically. Neo tried to sit up again, and found he was still sore. "Neo Evan Thorson, pleasure to meet you," he said as he held out his hand.

"Logan."

The electric spark that traveled up Neo's arm was familiar, and he smiled sadly after letting go of the warm callused hand before it changed in to a smirk, "Well, that's not as awesome as "Easter Bunny", but at least you didn't say something boring, like…Bill."

They shared a short laugh before the door opened. In the doorway was a white-haired and dark skinned woman that was exotically beautiful with kind eyes and a strong, graceful presence. She smiled at him before she spoke, "Hello, it's nice to see you're awake. But you did use up a lot of energy to create that storm. Are you feeling up to coming down for dinner?" Storm looked at the two, and seeing them both nod in agreement, she turned to the door, "This way."

Now that she mentioned it, Neo remembered a deep hollow pain and rage, then a pair of hands pulling him from the chaos. 'My powers must have gotten out of hand,' he realized. The young god tested his aching body as he got up from the bed, but with only a few twinges of soreness, he followed after the tall African beauty.

While traversing the halls, Neo was constantly aware of the person behind him. The air was buzzing with power that was reaching out for the man he had met only twice, now. The semi-sentient magic he had inherited from Hecate after her blessing, was trying desperately to form a bond with Logan, but Neo was holding it back.

They walked into what looked like a grand dining hall with three long tables stretching from one end of the room to the other. The room was bustling with children of every age, and a group of adults that sat at the end of the table in the middle. The image reminded Neo of Hogwarts and he would have bet money that he was in some kind of school.

They hadn't gone very far when a rambunctious boy with black hair ran by carrying a tray full of food. Neo saw the disaster waiting to happen, so it wasn't surprising when the child managed to trip over air, and the tray went flying.

Neo reacted quickly, and his magic stopped the food from covering another large boy that had been walking to a table with his own tray loaded down with a mountain of food.

At first no one reacted to the array of edibles suspended in the middle of the room, and the large boy simply turned to a redheaded woman sitting with the other adults and said, "Thank you, Ms. Gray."

The thick Russian accented voice got the woman's attention and she turned to the tall young man, "Yes, P…"

Jean had been talking to Scott before she heard one of the students call her name, but was caught off guard when she saw the frozen food.

Looking at a wide-eyed Ms. Gray, Piotr said, "Thank you," and gestured to the mess waiting to happen.

"I'm not doing it," she admitted.

"No, that would be my doing," Neo said from a few feet behind the boys. Willing the food back onto the tray and floating it back to the young boy Neo smiled, "There you go, mate, no harm done."

The small boy silently nodded. A beat later the whole room seemed to have gone silent. 'I guess I've still got the ability to stand out,' Neo thought. Looking over to the woman that had led him there, he commented, "Was it something I said?" Whispers broke out through the room, 'Yup, just like usual.'

Logan scoffed. He remembered what else the kid could do, so it wasn't as impressive to find out that he could levitate things.

"You'll have to excuse them, the students are always curious about new people, and three in one day is almost a novelty," Ororo said.

Shrugging, the young god just said, "It's not as bad as what I'm used to."

"Come, we have a couple of seats left over here," she invited, and went to the end of the table with the other adults.

They sat down; their guide taking her place in the seat to the right of a man in a wheelchair, who sat at the head of the table; Neo next to her and across from "Ms. Gray"; while Logan sat to Neo's left directly in front of a man wearing red-shades.

"Good evening," the bald man in the wheelchair said, "I am Charles Xavier, and you have already met my friend, Ororo Munroe. Next we have Jean Gray, and Scott Summers." The other two adults at the table nodded as their names were called. "This is my school for gifted youth. I am the Headmaster, and Ororo, Jean, and Scott are Professors here."

Neo glanced around the table as he spoke, "Hello, my name is Neo Thorson, nice to meet you," he gave a meaning full look at the man named Charles, "I'm guessing the reason you didn't introduce, Logan, is because he's one of the "new people" Ms. Munroe mentioned, and not the fact that you can obviously read minds? Therefore, knowing that we have already made our own introductions?"

The man seemed surprised but Neo had experience with people trying to riffle through his mind before, and he had felt a small pressure against his mental barrier when he caught the attention of the disabled man. The fact that it had been a simple questioning brush was the only think that stopped Neo from taking offence. Thankfully, the training that he had done with Loki helped him learn an Asgardian form of Occlumancy that was far stronger than the wizard version, and his mind was well protected, now.

"Ah, I apologize; it would seem that my curiosity has gotten the better of me. I assure you, I do not make it a habit to invade other's privacy," Charles spoke with a genuine look of remorse on his face.

"You would be the first," Neo said sardonically.

Charles looked grim for a moment after Neo spoke, but his face quickly smoothed out leaving his laugh lines the only wrinkles on his face, "Am I correct in assuming you have met other mutants with the ability to read minds?"

"Mutants?" the young god asked. The question prompted a small lecture from the elder man, about genes and how he ran a school for people with the "x-gene" to teach them how to control the powers that they had. Apparently, the "mutant" gene showed itself during puberty which is the reason some of the students were pre-teens and actually wards of the school. It didn't surprise Neo that some parents had abandoned their children; humanity was notorious for fearing what it didn't understand, like a child being born with claws or pointed ears.

When a small voice interrupted Charles, Neo was grateful, because he was starting to get the impression that the man could talk for hours when he was on a roll, 'He is definitely a Professor.'

"Ms. Storm," a small voice said from behind Neo, he turned and the other adults at the table looked at the little girl that had spoken. The girls innocent big brown eyes gazed at the woman, but Neo also noticed the small set of bat wings that were tucked close to her back.

Ororo smiled at the usually quiet four year old girl, "Yes, Selena?"

"Batty, has a booboo," the girl replied, as her adorable brown eyes looked down at the medium-sized bat plushy she grasped against her chest. The nose on the bat had been torn and was literally hanging on by a thread.

"Oh," the white-haired woman frowned, "Are you finished with your dinner?" The little girl shook her head and Storm sighed, "Can he wait until you're done?"

Selena's eyes started to shine with tears, "Okay," was the sorrowful reply.

The sad look on the child's face, pulled at Neo's heartstrings, "Why don't I help, Batty?"

The girl perked up, and gave him a curious look.

"May I," Neo asked pointing to the doll. When the child nodded, he cast a repairing charm and the stuffed animal was fixed in the blink of an eye.

Selena looked puzzled for a few seconds, then a bright smile lit up the little girl's face and her small wings gave a quick flap, "Thank you," her voice came out in a bat-like squeak and the little pink dress she had on furled out as she spun and sprinted back to her seat at the other table.

"That is curious," Charles whispered from the end of the table. With eyes on him the older man continued, speaking directly to Neo this time, "I have never seen a mutant with so many abilities before. From what I have been told you have the ability to control the weather, and form a protective barrier. When you used your powers after walking in I thought that it was possible for you to have the power of telekinesis that helps you connect with the weather somehow. But just now, you demonstrated an ability I have not seen before, unless it was an illusion?"

Neo smiled, the older man sounded like a curious child wanting to learn how the magician did his trick, "No, I inherited the power to control the weather from my father, and the rest is simply magic."

"You don't know that you're a mutant?" Jean, who had been silent until then, asked.

"I think you've gotten it wrong. I'm…" he would have explained that his power was thanks to his godly heritage, but at that moment the doors to the dining hall had swung open and bounced off of the walls with a resounding bang.

"Oops, my bad, they looked a lot heavier than that," came the familiar voice of Neo's wolf-god cousin.

Neo couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes at the complete lack of remorse in Fenrir's voice.

"No you're not," the new god voiced sarcastically in a quiet mumble, and that was enough to have the deceptively young looking wolf god instantly drawn to him.

Everyone in the room watched as a (seemingly) 15 year old boy blurred toward the schools newest guest. Neo had just enough time to swiftly stand and move away from the others. No one was fast enough to react, even if they had wanted to, as Fenrir jumped into Neo's arms like an over-zealous puppy.

"Neo, what are you doing here? I thought we were going to meet at Tony's. Next thing I know, poof, your dad shows up in the middle of the road, Elric hits the brakes, and I'm flying through the windshield. When I finally stop rolling, I hear your dad telling, Jo, that you're causing a major storm on the opposite side of the country! Do you know how they wanted to get here? By flying! They made me fly!" the wolf screamed in a horrified tone, before he continued in a whine, "You know I hate flying. But, that's how your old man works and, Jo, just told me to stop complaining. They threated to drop me in the Great Lakes. I blame you."

Gazing at the pouting face in front of him, Neo burst out laughing.

"Oh, they laughed too. Maybe I should stick you with those two stuck-up, insensitive bullies for hours, and see how you like it? Ow!"

A hand had impacted with the back of the complaining god's head. Fenrir turned to glare at his brother, who had entered unnoticed.

"We might have listened if you hadn't been whining about everything," the older brother commented, as he pulled his younger brother off of their cousin only to invade the younger gods space himself. Jormungandr wrapped Neo in a constrictive hug before whispering in his ear, "I love my brother, but if you leave me alone with him whining like that again, I won't be held responsible for what I, may or may not, do."

Neo chuckled and humor permeated the air in the hall, at the same time Fenrir commented, "I heard that."

"So, where's Dad?"

"Your father has already left, but requests your utmost haste in contacting him, Sir." The posh vocabulary, dark-silk like voice, and soothing tone, commanded attention from across the room, and as one, every head turned to the man standing at the doors to the grand room.

"Dude, it was okay until he showed up, now it's totally confusing," a random male student voiced in the silence.

"Like, he means "call your dad", idiot," a female voice answered rudely.

"Shut up, Jackie, I meant what's a guy in a suit doing showing up and calling people younger than him, "Sir"."

"Like, I don't know, he looks like…a butler or something."

"People don't have butlers anymore, and you'd know that if you weren't ready those weird comic books, all the time."

"They're called manga, and like, at least I can read them, while you only buy magazines to look at pictures of naked women. That's like, totally gross."

There was a mixed noise of "oohs" and chuckled, before a second female voice spoke with a hint of curiosity, "Ooh, maybe it's some kinky cosplay thing?"

The amused atmosphere of the room increased as laughter rang from every table. Fenrir was grinning from ear to ear at Neo, who couldn't stop himself from blushing.

"That's enough, thank you," Charles said to the rambunctious students.

While the room quieted, Neo had a chance to answer the wolf god's question, "Look mate, it was a last minute thing. Something happened while I was at Tony's, and I…left, before I could realize what I was doing. When I finally noticed what was going on, I was here and then I passed out," he saw the looks of concern on both brothers' faces, "I'm fine now."

Jormugandr hummed in thought, "Good, and there is still enough time to make it back to "Camp" before the bonfire."

"Wait, does that mean we're leaving, now? But, we just got here!" the overgrown wolf cub bellyached.

"There is no need for you to leave tonight," Charles Xavier's voice was heard over the grumbling. "I was hoping to offer you a place here for a time, Neo. This school is a safe haven and place for young mutants to learn and develop their powers. You are welcome to stay as long as you need. Of course, your friends are welcome to stay with you."

'I wonder how he's going to feel once he finds out he just invited three gods, who are descended from the gods of chaos and mischief, into a school filled with impressionable students? This is going to be interesting,' Neo chuckled after his inner monologue. "Thank you, that's very generous, but I'm afraid we may be too much for you to handle."

"Is that a challenge?" Logan asked with a heated look and raised eyebrow.

Grinning at the other man he replied, "That depends, are you up for one?" Flirting back was almost a knee-jerk reaction, but the smoldering gaze of the other man sent a shiver down Neo's back and he couldn't bring himself to regret his boldness.

Logan was ready to accept the younger man's "challenge", but he was interrupted by a commotion in the corner of the room. Students gasped and screamed while flinging themselves backwards, as a large black wolf with glowing red eyes padded silently out of the shadows. Rogue, who had been sitting a few seats down the table, ran and ducked behind Logan staring over his shoulder in terror at the enormous wolf.

Logan had already stepped in front of Neo in a protective crouch, so it wasn't hard for the god to see the three, foot-long claws that came out of each of his hands. Seeing the danger, the god stepped forward and without hesitation pressed his palm to the back of the feral mans left hand. Logan let his hand fall to his side but did not retract his claws. The youngest god merely shook his head and met the shadow wolf halfway, "You're scaring everyone, mate."

" _Zoul is hungry,_ " the wolf said telepathically, as he nudged past his Alpha and to the food on the table, " _Can Zoul eat, Alpha?_ "

"Yeah, have at it," he replied, before Neo caught a glimpse of the students still pressed against the wall in terror. Neo reached out a hand and rubbed Zoul's large head.

Surprisingly, or not, it was Logan who moved first snatching up his plate before the shadow wolf could gulp his food down with the same easy it did Neo's. Unperturbed by the removal of the plate Zoul moved his head over to Ororo's plate and proceeded to lick it clean of the scraps she had left.

A rush of wind and a soft brush against his temple was the only warning that Neo had before Argyros landed on his shoulder.

"I see, there is certainly more than expected," Charles said, eyes on the silver bird, "and you must all be hungry?"

Fenrir jerked his head at the offer of food, "Yeah, man, I'm starving. Do you guys have any steak?" he asked, sticking his nose in the air and following the smell of food to the kitchen.

"Trust the wolf to be ravenous," Jormungandr commented before he followed after his brother.

"Shall I prepare some tea, Sir?" Elric asked from Neo's right.

"That will be fine," Neo answered and watched the spirit leave before he spoke to Xavier again, "Thank you, again, I will try to keep them from destroying the place."

"I'm sure that whatever they do has already happened before. This is a school after all."

Everything calmed down after that, and by the time the gods were done eating everything in the kitchen, they had become the talk of the school and the shadow wolf had acquired his own fan club. Zoul had cleaned off the table where the teachers had been sitting, and when he was looking around for more a brave student (who later commented on his love of dogs) presented the rest of his plate to the shadow wolf. After that, other children began to approach; Zoul accepted more scraps and lots of petting. Once he had lain down with his belly full, he even let some of the younger ones climb on him and run their fingers through his fur.

After the students were sent to bed, Charles asked Jean to show their group of guests to their rooms. She pointed Fenrir and Jormungandr to a room with two beds, before leading Neo and Elric to a similar room across the hall. It just so happened, that Logan's room was next to the green-eyed god's, which made it easy for Neo to hear the conversation between Jean and the Canadian.

'So…I officially hate this whole mate thing,' Neo thought to himself. Logan had goaded Jean into reading his mind, and a spike of jealous anger/protectiveness hit Neo. He could feel his connection to his new "mate" urging him to stop the force that was invading the other mans mind. The mind was a sacred place that should never be leafed through like a book; it was the place where bonds manifested. The mental links that join mates, twins, and bonded partners are all formed so that a pair can always tell if the other is safe and happy, it was also an intimate connection, and this telepathic little chic apparently thought nothing of it; well that was her mistake.

Neo was only vaguely aware of the fact that he could seriously hurt Jean because his protective instinct was too strong to actually care at that moment. He willed his power through his new bond with Logan and forced her out of the man's mind before she could do more than see flashes of fragmented memories.

Surprised by the images and repelling force, Jean jerked her hands back. When she leaned away she saw Scott, and blushed as she realized the situation may not look good from her boyfriend's perspective. That was when Jean chose discretion over valor. She said goodnight to Logan before scooting around Scott and out of the door.

Jean found herself stopping outside of Neo and Elric's room, as a jolt of fear hit her like a lightning strike and froze her in place. It felt like she was suddenly facing a roaring lion with its eyes locked on her, but the door to that room was firmly closed, and the sense of foreboding didn't leave her until she had turned the corner into another hallway. Two things stood out in Jeans mind a few seconds later (1) she hadn't noticed she was running until she was in the next hall, and (2) she KNEW, without a doubt, it had been the smart thing to do.

 ***Break***

That night Neo was woken up by his connection to one of his mates. The young god could feel his mate bonds like his link to Death, only in small unreliable degrees, the soul deep connections kept filtering in random heightened emotions and sometimes images. He was even getting flashes of annoyance from Phil on occasion, but right now Neo was focused on the feeling that had shoved him out of Morpheus' embrace and back into the waking world. Pain, fear, and rage reverberated through his infantile bond with Logan. Listening Neo didn't hear the sounds of a fight, except for the occasional loud huff or grunt.

'Nightmares,' Neo concluded.

Then he heard something else, a creak of the floor boards from the hallway and the slow quiet padding of bare feet on carpet. He tensed, ears following the noise until he heard the door next to his open and the grunts became slightly louder. Neo squashed his protective instinct for a second, 'With claws like Logan's he can protect himself,' he thought, 'But what if it's a student? Logan's having a nightmare; if they try to wake him up he might react badly.'

With his last thought in mind Neo flung off his covers and moved silently to the door, only dressed in his white sleeveless undershirt and sleep pants. Summoning magic into his fingertips he silenced the door as he turned the knob. Stepping silently into Logan's room he saw the same girl who had sought out Logan's protection at dinner. 'She trusts him, but she doesn't know him. If she did she would know better than to try and wake him up right now,' his tone of thought was infused with exasperation. Quickly advancing he caught her around the waist and half turned, placing himself between her and Logan. It was fortuitous, it seemed, because that was the moment that Logan's nightmares had finally driven him from sleep.

Shooting up out of bed, his mind still in the land of dreams and claws extended, Logan had no idea that his fist was not aimed at an enemy but at Neo's unguarded side.

As she screamed in fear at seeing the familiar claws that would have impaled her instead of the person they were now heading for, Rogue thought about how foolish she had been. She had been struggling to fall asleep in a new place when she heard Logan in his room. Marie knew the sound of someone having a nightmare, so she went to check on him. But, she never thought that she could have gotten hurt; she was just trying to help.

Marvápn reacted the very instant Neo realized he needed to guard himself. The shield formed quickly, but not quickly enough. What little of the shield that had formed was enough to keep the metal claws from puncturing his lung and internal organs but the attack was not fully deflected.

At first Neo only registered a pressure against his upper thigh, but then his muscles shifted and there was a sick realization that he could feel something in his leg. Neo lowered Marvápn enough to peer wide-eyed over it at a confused Logan, who was still dazed from just waking up. Then the pain came, the kind that only comes from being stabbed by a sharp blade, and it caused Neo's brow to crease in agony.

The smell of blood drifted to Logan's nose and his confusion started to fade. Blood, blood means a wound and Logan could tell that he wasn't injured, so it must be one of the other two in his room. The conclusion drove him to search out the cause, and he was horrified when he found it. Buried in the leg of the boy who had suddenly become his whole world were his deadly claws. Shock caused his hand to go slack and his claws were instantly sheathed. The removal of the intrusive blades made Neo's leg spasm and the pain that shot through his nerves caused him to collapse.

There were only a few seconds between Logan waking up and Neo's knees hitting the ground. All of a sudden, Elric was there with the two godly brothers halfway in the room and footsteps were coming down the hall.

"No," the single word came out of Logan's mouth as a whisper, and those in the room took it for the silent prayer it was. Storm, Jean, Scott and a group of students had arrived and were hovering outside the door, but Logan didn't notice. His eyes made a rapid circuit between the blood on the back of his knuckles and the blood seeping through Neo's torn pants. "No," he denied again, "Oh, God."

"Shh," Neo tried to comfort. Marvápn formed a band around his wrist again letting Neo placed both hands around Logan's bloody fist. He wiped off the scarlet liquid across the ruff knuckles with his thumbs before he said in a quiet voice, "It's not your fault. It was just an accident."

The gods all knew that the wound had already started to mend thanks to their inherited ability to heal quickly, which every immortal had. A shiver went down Neo's spine and settled like led in his stomach; he was glad he would heal because he didn't want to die, again, and less than twenty four hours from the last time.

Focusing on the healing spell he had learned, Neo was able to heal himself without leaving a mark before he cast to consecutive spells banishing the blood and repairing the torn cloth.

"See, it's fine," Neo smiled gently as he got up. A few gasps could be heard from the door. The youngest god glanced at the girl beside him, "Are you okay?"

The look of concern almost made Rogue laugh hysterically, because wasn't he the one that she almost got killed with her foolishness? She wanted to tell him how he was asking the wrong question, how he should be yelling at her, but it was hard to speak so she just nodded her head and gawked at the genuine relieved smile he sent her.

Neo saw her crumbling and the guilt written on her face. "I'm fine," he said directly to her. His eyes found Ororo's next, her white hair slightly mused as she stood tall among the others at the door, "Everything's alright now, so I think we should head back to bed. Could you help her back to her room, please?" he gestured to the brown haired girl in the room and the woman nodded before she came and gently guided her away.

Everyone at the door seemed to shuffle away quietly like they were in shock, or simply hoping that the incident was a bad dream and they were still asleep.

When they were gone Neo pictured the walk from his room to Logan's and raised his hand to summon his locket. Silver streaked into the room and this time it wasn't Argyros. The locket landed in Neo's hand where he pulled a vial of dreamless sleep from it. He was wary to give it to the mutant because he didn't know how he would react, but he knew how hard it was to get back to sleep after a nightmare.

Finally he made up his mind and held out to vial, "Here, drink this."

Logan looked at it skeptically, "No, thanks kid."

"It should help you sleep," Neo tried again.

Logan didn't say anything and just stared at those deep green eyes.

The young god sighed, "Fine," he faced Jormungandr, "Can you make sure the doors to our rooms are closed and secure? It looks like we will be sleeping in here tonight."

It was said casually but Logan balked at what he heard. Jormungandr gave a nod and walked out.

Waving a hand the bed changed from a single to one big enough for at least six people and some more pillows.

"Hey, Bub! What're you doin'?" Logan grumbled.

Jormungandr came back, "Done."

Neo sighed again before going to the bed, "Thank you, come on let's get some sleep." He crawled onto the mattress in the middle. Fenrir was next, he plopped down beside Neo and sprawled across the rest of that side, and then Jormungandr chose the area on the other side of the feral mutant.

Logan stared at the intruders in his bed, "Get out," he may not have meant it when it came to the green eyed man lying next to him, but he got angry when the others didn't budge. Growling he noticed the man still standing in the room, "What about you?"

"I don't sleep," Elric replied before the asked, "Is there anything you need, Sir?"

"No," Neo mumbled sleepily.

"Then I shall see you in the morning, Master."

Logan moved to get up but found himself pinned to the bed in a second, "You didn't want the easy way, now you have to lay here until you fall asleep and we have to stay to make sure you don't have any nightmares." Neo peeked through his lashes, "You asked for it."

Logan knew that those words in that order were usually meant as a threat; but when Neo had to move closer to Logan so he could accommodate the pushy bed hog on the other side, the animal part of Logan was almost purring at the arrangement.

Surprisingly he was able to go back to sleep without having another nightmare, and waking up with his arms full of the young green eyed man wasn't bad either.


	6. Chapter 5

The Law of Three

Chapter 5

Neo was happily floating between being awake and asleep. Senses registering two bands of warmth wrapped around his torso, a sent that can only be described as wild, a rhythmic thump-thump under his ear, and an annoying jab that would periodically hit his spine. It was the last sensation that was driving Neo from the bliss of unconsciousness.

Logan had not expected to wake up to a head of red-tinted black hair lying on his chest, but he wasn't complaining. The body of the man draped across his chest was slowly curling closer to him making waking up so early a better idea by the second, at least until the scent of irritation rose into the air. A small movement drew his attention and after seeing what had caused it Logan understood why he could taste bland annoyance on his tongue.

The gruff mutant was on one side of Neo (well technically under him) while Fenrir was on the other side. And, it was that fact that would soon be the wolf gods down fall, literally.

In his dreams Fenrir was running through the thick trees of Asgard's forest; while his clawed paws kicked against the hard ground propelling him through his dream, his foot intermittently hit the small of Neo's back in bed.

'For the love of Merlin's pink panties…what in the nine realms?' Neo thought as he felt another jab to his back that had him fully awake.

"Uhn," Neo grunted when he was hit harder. When the next hit came Neo reacted.

*Thunk*

*Thunk*

Fenrir, still asleep, had been hoisted up into the air and flung at the side wall where he hit before falling to the floor.

"Ouch, what was that?" Fenrir grumbled as he opened his eyes to see the ceiling from the floor, "How?"

The noise and outburst from his brother caused Jormungandr to stir. The serpent god emitted a hissing noise before he turned to glare at his younger brother, and blinked when he didn't see him. Spotting the fuzzy head peaking up over the side of the bed, Jormungandr's mood turned from sour to amused, and he smirked.

With all three gods awake, they decided to get ready for the day. Being early enough that even the teachers where still asleep, Neo, Fenrir and Jormungandr chose to start morning exercises and then come back for breakfast an hour later.

No one else had come down stairs, yet, but the pitter-patter of feet could be heard above them. The grumble from their stomachs led the three into the kitchen where Elric met them in his usual suit and a flower patterned apron that made Neo laugh at the strange sight. Elric had a steaming cup of tea in hand which the spirit was holding out to Neo.

"Breakfast will be a few more minutes, Master. Please, have a seat," the humble words at odds with Elric's sinfully smooth tones, as always. The servant swept his arm toward the small breakfast nook in the corner where biscuits, scones, and rolls had been placed next to a variety of jams, honey, and butter.

"Wow, everything is so shiny and perfect," Fenrir commented looking wearily at the perfectly polished silver service trays and sparkling utensils.

"Of course, my master deserves nothing less. After all, I would be a terrible servant if I couldn't even make breakfast presentable," was Elric's reply as he walked back to the large kitchen stove which was the source of the amazing smells flooding the kitchen and hall outside the door.

It didn't take long for someone else to show up. Logan stepped into the room for a cup of coffee, but he blinked when he found himself sitting at the table with a well proportioned selection of all of the breakfast foods that had been heaped onto platters and set on the kitchen island. He remembered declining breakfast before he was strong-armed into the chair by the strange white haired man that came with Neo. The guy set his instincts on edge, he didn't smell right and that more than anything told Logan that "Elric" was not human. The feral growl that he unconsciously let loose went unnoticed by Logan; but not the rest of the room, and they all saw how he was focused on the guardian spirit at the time.

Ororo was surprised by the smell of breakfast wafting from the kitchen, as she rounded the corner of the hallway. Normally after her morning routine Ororo would come down stairs to start preparing for the army of students that would flood into the dining hall in an hour. Usually, when she was almost finished with the prep, Jean and a few of the students taking cooking classes would meet up with her and help with the actual cooking. But, this morning Storm saw the large amount of cooked food sitting on the kitchen counter and the new guests already making a healthy dent in it. She stood marveling at the gourmet style breakfast and wondering where the actual SILVER table wear had come from. She stayed out of the way occasionally sneaking a piece of toast or slice of fruit, here and there, until the snowy-haired and well dressed man she briefly met the night before handed her a plate of her own.

Jean and three students came through the door minutes later, and mirrored the awed look that had been on Ororo's face when she did the same. In front of their eyes the sharply dressed man continued to plate large amounts of food on platters, and he was making it look easy. It took five people and an hour to make as much food, and HE was making it look EASY! The most mind-boggling part was he was still going.

Half an hour passed and the students had entered the dining hall where they had taken diner last night. The three gods and Jean, carried the large trays to a buffet type table that had been set up at the end of the hall, where the salivating students waited eagerly with crisp white china plates that had been set out by Elric.

When questioned about letting children use such expensive dishware, Elric replied, "It is my duty to serve my young Lord in a quality befitting his station, meaning; he deserves nothing less than absolute excellence. As such, I must present that quality in all things, including hospitality. My young Lord is a guest here; as our gracious hosts, common courtesy dictates that I should treat you with the same respect and distinction as my master."

The well mannered and eloquent speech had Jean feeling strangely uncouth and embarrassed for even asking. She was at a loss for how to argue with the statement, so the students were allowed to use the fine china; again she didn't actually know where it came from.

Compliments and almost indecent moans of euphoria could be heard throughout breakfast. Even Zoul, who had walked in late, was wolfing down the food Elric had made him with relish, as he emitted a pleased purring-growl from his chest.

Again, scraps were feed to the shadow wolf by the students who lavished him with attention as he curled up behind Neo's chair.

Argyros sat on the left arm of his godly partner's chair, where he was fed pieces of meat until he fell into a contented doze.

It was a Tuesday and students reluctantly left the dining hall to prepare for classes, and the three gods were invited to tour the school.

"And, this is one of the training rooms, where students are taught to control their powers. The first manifestation of their abilities is usually a chaotic and dangerous time; here we help them learn control, so that they don't harm themselves or others," Charles had been voicing explanations of this like for the last half hour as they toured the mansion. The group stood in a metal-walled room in the basement watching twelve students and Scott, a.k.a. Cyclops or Professor Summers at the moment. Scott was trying to break up a fight between two of the boys. One, a light-red head in his mid-teens, seemed to be able to control fire that he was blasting at a blonde boy around his age, while the blonde was forming ice that he hurled at his opponent in retaliation.

"John, stop this!" Cyclops yelled over the commotion the two boys were making, as he prepared to stun the red-head.

"I didn't start this, Prof; you should be talking to Frostbite over there!" The pyrokinetic yelled.

"Listen, man," The blonde boy called, "I didn't mean to make you slip on the ice. I'm really sorry, John."

"Whatever, Bobby, you don't really care!" John shouted back. For a second, a look of genuine hurt appeared on the boys face before he replaced it with anger; the slip was not unnoticed by a certain god. "You just wanted to impress your new girlfriend." Sharp eyes caught the hurt look, again, before it was gone. One of John's long nimble fingers pointed accusingly at Rogue, who blushed when eyes were drawn to her looking for insight on what the boy was talking about.

"Yeah, I was showing off, but it was an accident. Let it go," Bobby replied, then ducked another jet of flames.

"Sure, an accident, and that makes everything okay, so it's not like I would actually deserve an apology or anything," the red-head responded venomously, voice thick with anger and a deeper emotion.

"Geez, I said I was sorry!"

"That doesn't make it better, you jerk!" Another blast and a return barrage of ice.

"This is ridiculous," Fenrir murmured before stepping forward. He placed himself between the quarreling pair and physically force the attacks away from each other, causing the boys to pause as their attacks turned on them.

John didn't stay idle for long; instead he redirected his anger at the person that interfered. A ball of fire formed in the teens hand and he lobbed it in Fenrir's direction.

A smirk appeared on the god's face, 'Time to fight fire with fire,' and at that thought a spark of flame ignited in the air in front of him, which quickly grew into the flickering form of a wolf cub. As the two flames met, the wolf-construct opened its mouth and consumed the other flame greedily.

"Nice trick," the human spat before shooting a jet of flame at the other, but he wasn't expecting the fire wolf to simple open its mouth again and let the jet of fire poor in. Quickly the flaming animal grew in size and the constant heat it was emitting was becoming unbearable.

John stood wide-eyed as the flames he was controlling were being eaten by a wolf made of fire. With his knowledge of his power, John knew he was only adding fuel, but it took a surprising amount of effort to put out the fire coming out of his lighter.

With its meal abruptly ended the now very large wolf howled with displeasure, as its will to consume EVERYTHING went unquenched.

It was John's turn to grin at the god as he spoke his thoughts, "You think that's something special? You just gave me more ammo." John angled his raised hand toward the giant flaming wolf and tried to take control of it. Something powerful battered against the part of his mind that helped him use his pyrokinesis to control fire.

"If you think you can handle it, be my guest," Fenrir let his control loosen to see if the mutant could really wield the god fire he had summoned. It wasn't the most powerful fire he could create, but it would probably be more than enough to prove his point.

John tried his hardest to bend the flame to his will but something was wrong. There was a powerful desire in the flame, like it had a mind of its own and all it wanted was to destroy everything it could touch. 'It's not normal' John thought. He had never come across a flame with a mind of its own. 'There is no way this can be happening,' but as the wolf leapt forward to devour him John knew it was real, and for the first time he was actually scared of fire.

Before it could actually hurt the mutant, Fenrir reigned in the fire beast and snuffed it out with a thought.

The wolf god heaved a dramatic sigh, "Weak, man," he chided playfully, "you obviously need more practice."

The experience had left John shaken, "What was that?"

"Well, I call that an epic fail. How about you?" there was still a playful tone that made the words slightly less hurtful.

"But…H-how did you do that...What did you do? I couldn't even control it for a second."

Fenrir gave a humorless huff, "Well, no duh. My flames are a part of me, born from the darkest depths of my soul; no one else could ever control them. You may have control over natural fire, but that's nothing like mine. Fire, as an element of nature, has no mind of its own; therefore it's easily controlled. But, when a flame is born from the darkest of desires, it possesses the insatiable need to consume and spread; like a plague it destroys everything in its path. I get my power from that need for destruction. For centuries my hatred for my captors festered and boiled until it became an all-consuming inferno that would have devoured everything at the end of days, including me. That kind of fire is unstoppable, and I would have been lost to it if Neo hadn't freed me when he did." Fenrir paused for thought before he continued, "That's not to say that you don't have potential you're just headed in the wrong direction. Sure you can use your anger and rage to control it, but as a mortal your natural control over fire comes from completely different emotions. Fire was gifted to mortals by the gods, and its light was meant to warm and aid man. So, all this time, your flames should have been taking on the properties of a protector and guide not a means to destroy."

This time it was Bobby who had a question voicing it, "But…how did you stop my attack, too? It should have frozen your hand when it hit you."

Fenrir gave a wolfish grin, "I'm an embodiment of devastation, Blondie. I may harbor flames of hatred but I was born from ice." The god's words left the room in silence for a moment until he voiced a sudden thought, "You know what? That reminds me, you two might be better off learning how to work together. And if nothing else, at least opposites attract."

As a few girls tittered in amusement, Fenrir grinning at the gobsmacked looks on the two boys' faces, and then turned to his brother and cousin. He watched as they both shook their heads in exasperation.

"Fantastic idea, lets relieve the killing intent in the air with some good old fashioned sexual tension, shall we," Neo quipped before he made a small wave of his hands, mostly out of habit, and the room was instantly back to normal, melted metal and chunks of ice vanishing.

"Idiot," Jormungandr said simply, before leaving the room.

Fenrir was on his brothers heals in a second, "What did you call me?!"

Turning to the man in the wheelchair, Neo gave Charles a put upon look before politely waving Xavier out the door ahead of him.

The Professor nodded and they both made their way after the two brothers, leaving a stunned class in their wake.

 ***Break***

With nothing to do, Logan had somehow found himself in the game room of the school. Glancing around, he saw plump leather couches arranged around a few coffee tables and a shelf filled with different board games, on one side of the room. The rest of the room was occupied by a ping-pong table, two foosball tables, and two pool tables that where arranged with enough space between them for players to comfortably maneuver around. There were about two dozen students in the room and among them was Rogue. Logan was happy to see her enjoying herself a little as she played a game of cards with three other teens, and acted like a normal kid. It was better than the frozen runaway he first met.

"Did you get bored?" the question had the gruff man looking to Neo, who had stopped beside him.

A rumble vibrated from the man's chest before he responded, "I've been bored, but Jean's finally done treatin' me like a science project, for now."

The cheeky grin on Neo's full lips was practically begging Logan to wipe it off, in the most pleasurable way possible. Suppressing a sudden onslaught of lust that was becoming the norm when the green-eyed man was around, Logan forced himself to focus on the words coming from those lips instead of the pout they formed complimented by a mocking tone in Neo's voice.

"Aw, you poor man, it must have been terrible. Do you need me to kiss it better?" green eyes sparkled with hilarity.

"Do you have that much time?"

An explosive laugh gushed out of him before Neo spoke, "Come on you, let's have a game," the god nodded to the other side of the room and made his way to one of the pool tables; making sure that the man was following, Neo spoke softly over his shoulder so only Logan could hear, "and maybe I can play nurse later, well that's if you win."

"You're on Green Eyes, but don't be mad when you lose. I've got a pretty good reason to win, now."

They played until it came down to the twelve and eight balls. Logan had to sink his last stripe before he could aim for the eight, but right now it was Neo's turn. They both noticed that due to the positions of the balls, Neo would have to make the shot from exactly where Logan was sitting on the stool he had been occupying when it was Neo's turn. Stepping in front of Logan he asked, "Could you please move?"

"Nope," Logan replied casually, deciding he wasn't going to make the winning shot easy for the other.

Neo just scoffed quietly and shook his head before turning around. He stepped into the right place which, as he thought, was directly in front of Logan. "I call that corner pocket," he stated then tried to bend over and line-up his shot. His godly perfect butt came into contact with Logan's right knee, and he still wasn't in the right position to shoot. Moving back and bending at the waist more to get his arms in the right pose caused Neo to straddle Logan's knee and gave an up-close and personal look of his bum. Finally he had the perfect shot.

Logan's mouth had gone dry and his eyes were glued to Neo's backside. His hands were clenched to keep from grabbing onto the beautiful man practically sitting in his lap, and the knuckles were turning white. The Canadian was pulled from his distractions when he heard the tell-tale thunk of the pool cue hitting the cue ball then the click of the white ball colliding with another and he looked up in time to watch the eight ball fall into the designated pocket.

Straightening up with a roguish grin aimed over his shoulder at Logan Neo spoke, "It looks like I win, mate. Better luck next t…" a gasp parted his lips when he felt the muscled leg he was almost sitting on move further up between his thighs to press against him and hands gripped his hips.

The scent floating through the air was so intoxicating that Logan couldn't help but lean in closer to the raven-haired man pressing his chest against the others back. Inhaling the heady aroma of Neo's arousal mixed with his natural sent was making Logan's inner beast stir. A pleased growl rose from the feral mutant's chest and vibrated through Neo from where Logan was pressed against him.

"Looks like I'm already lucky," Wolverine whispered huskily against the smooth column of Neo's throat.

Neo swallowed thickly to clear his throat, "Logan," the word came out as a breathy whisper.

"Uh-hum," the sound of someone purposefully clearing their throat had the god reluctantly pulling away from Logan and both men finally noticed Elric standing on the other side of the table.

"Yes," the blushing god asked, trying to avoid an awkward pause.

"It is time for lunch, young master. Shall I go and prepare your place, or will you be awhile?" There was no amusement in his voice or face, but Neo got the distinct feeling that Elric was laughing at catching them.

"Thank you for telling me. I'll head there now." Neo had started to move to the door but stopped when he felt a pull on his arm and he was spun around by Logan as the man pulled him in closer.

Logan wore a smirk, "You know, I'm starting to think I've been played."

Neo was perplexed, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm just saying, you can be a real tease, beautiful, but I'm not in a hurry. So, I'll play things your way. Just don't wait too long, a hungry wolf can be satisfied by a scrap sometimes, but a starved wolf might suddenly gobble you up, Little Red." The innuendo was obvious for the both of them, and Logan enjoyed watching those green eyes darken with lust.

"Is that so?" Neo asked quietly, breathe ghosting over a bearded cheek, as he brought his lips to Logan's ear. "Do you want your scrap now?" There was a small pause as Neo ran the fingers of his left hand through the thick hair at the nap of the mutant's neck. When he spoke next his voice was teasing and sure, "No, that's not what you want, I can feel it; it's why the bond is growing so fast, the primal part of you is calling out. You want the thrill of the hunt, the excitement when you finally get to claim me." Neo pressed his lips to the shell of Logan's ear, "No scraps for you, my Big Bad Wolf. You can only have me when the time is right, then you can ravage me in the same bed as the rest of our mates, because that's the only way you'll be satisfied."

It was there again, his animal instincts, pounding against the tight control Logan has over his rage and it was telling him to " _at least_ _mark him,_ _right now_ _before someone else does first!_ " And he was ready to give in but, just as he was going to grip the messy locks of Neo's hair and lavish attention on the beautiful throat that had been placed before him, the younger man was gone.

Neo had teleported outside of the dining room, where he pause and used his power to say one last thing to Logan that was carried by a wind to the rugged man's ear, "I won't make you wait forever, but you at least have to meet Tony first. You can wait until then, can't you?"

As he stood alone in the game room Logan thought that he just might need some help when it came to the green-eyed vixen, and the idea of "mates" slowly started to sink in.

 ***Break***

The Court of Asgard had been suddenly gathered for an announcement. Many Lords and Ladies stood waiting for the Royal family to appear in the large throne room.

"Why does Odin make us wait so?"

"What could this announcement possibly be about?"

"Didn't you hear? The Bifrost was damaged during a battle with intruders."

"I heard that invaders where able to sneak in right, under Prince Loki's nose. The pathetically weak son shows his true face."

"Loki's mischief no doubt."

"Yes it was Loki's fault, like always."

'The court may be full of nobles but that only helps deepen their stupidity,' Loki thought as the observed the throne room from Frigga's scrying pool.

"Come away from there, Loki," Thor said, approaching Loki carefully. It always hurt him to see his brother like this, and no matter how much Loki tried to hide it Thor knew that the words of the Court always stung the younger god fiercely.

"It benefits us to know the mood of the Court before we enter, Thor."

Thor felt the pang in his heart again, heart aching to sooth his brothers pain. Gently turning the younger prince away from the scrying pool, Thor wrapped his arms around his brother. "But I'm sure it was you who said that it does no one good to listen to fools. Pay them no mind, Loki, they will never see what I see in you."

Loki clung to the armor clad chest of his beloved brother, "What do you see in me, Thor? I am nothing like you. I am not the ideal Asgardian, and I am scorned for having magic because it is not the art of a warrior."

Still hugging the slighter man with one arm, Thor gripped Loki's face gently to gaze into the others eyes, "No you are not like me, and that is what I admire about you most. Your magic has saved our lives as much as, if not more than, my strength has. Why would you want to be this "ideal Asgardian" when your cunning alone is no match for a warrior of Asgard, not even me? Our childhood should be enough evidence of that." The small joke made them both smile, "There is more to you than being the God of Chaos, and anyone that cannot see that does not deserve your consideration. So, put the Court out of your mind for now, we will have to face them soon enough, instead come sit and tell me how my son faired under your tutelage."

"He was like his Father, impulsive and his thick head could take many hits," Thor interrupted with a laugh but Loki just waited for a second and continued, "And he is just as strong as you. But, he does have a saving grace; he is as mischievously minded as his other Father, who is only slightly less cunning than myself. He is also quick to learn and powerful. He will make you proud."

"I have always been proud of him," the thunder god said, "and I always will be."

 ***Break***

Tony wasn't a stranger to waking up with a headache, but feeling like a broken hearted idiot was not so normal. He remembered what had happened the night before. The party, the two women that had followed him back to his place and, worse of all, the devastated look on Neo's face just before the god was gone. That one look had taken the wind out of Tony, and not being able to find Neo in the house had driven Tony low.

The billionaire had pulled himself together a while later, and called Happy to take the two women home, and then he called Pepper who had been sharp with Tony. He knew that Pepper didn't appreciate cleaning up after him, but she still helped. She had calmed him down with her cool logic and watched him until Happy made it back, and then she went home to get more sleep before she had to get up again.

Afterward the genius and his bodyguard sat in the basement workshop where Happy watched the late shows and Tony tinkered half-heartedly. Somewhere between rewiring the helmet of his Iron Man suit for the second time in an hour and throwing it at the wall for the third time, Tony remembered that he had Neo's number in his phone. He finally stilled, sitting at his desk staring at the black face of his phone, knowing that he just had to push a few buttons to call the younger man, but he had sat and stared until he was too exhausted to keep his eyes open.

Remembering the phone, Tony's gaze instantly fixed on the small square of metal and electricity. Pushing back the headache his mind came to the conclusion he had been trying to avoid last night; he, Tony Stark, had done wrong and he needed to fix it.

It took just three rings before the call connected and the words that Tony heard had him feeling better and worse at the same time.

"Hey! What's going on, love?"

 ***Break***

After lunch Neo had wondered off and found himself in the garage. Scott was teaching a class and it had actually been interesting enough that he decided to stick around. Sitting next to Jean who was also in the class he wasn't surprised to find out that Scott was a good teacher. Maybe it was the rose-tinted glasses, but the man had something about him that seemed a little naive and a lot like a boy scout.

When the class left, the energy in the room shifted as Logan walked through the door. Scott seemed to stiffen and Logan moved into a relaxed defensive stance; Jean and Neo rolled their eyes at the obvious dislike that the two men shared.

A compliment from Logan toward one of the bikes had Scott acting more defensive.

"Seriously?" Neo questioned, "Listen ladies, as much as I would like to watch you posture around each other like peacocks, you both have better things to do. Didn't you and Jean just say you had another class to teach, Summers? You should get a move on."

Scott looked through his red-glasses at Jean and started to have a silent conversation. A silent brow-beating from Jean had Scott shuffling out the door but not before he said, "Logan, don't touch my bike."

Left alone, the god and mutant stood next to each other.

"It is a nice bike," Neo agreed to Logan's earlier statement, "But can it fly?"

The deep chuckle from Logan brought a smile to Neo's lips.

Any other words were interrupted by Neo's phone ringing, which the god was quick to produce from his jacket pocket.

'Tony' the caller I.D. read. Neo suddenly had mixed feelings, but he wasn't going to ignore Tony. The bond had been open all morning and Neo knew how Tony was feeling, and thanks to Tony's relentless thoughts Neo knew that last night was mostly a misunderstanding that was made worse do to Tony being inebriated. So, after making a mental note to talk to Tony about drinking in moderation, Neo picked up the phone.

"Hey! What's going on, love?" Neo said into the microphone.

"Oh…wow…I wasn't actually expecting you to pick up."

"Usually when you call someone they pick up, so why wouldn't I?"

"Because, you're probably mad and disappointed?" the words came out more as a question, since Tony couldn't hear any anger or disgust in Neo's voice. "I mean, I said you would be disappointed in me sooner or later, but I realize that this is a record even for me. I…"

Neo didn't wait to listen to the genius' self depreciating speech, because he hated it when Tony talked like that, "Stop, Tony. I'm not disappointed, though I can admit to being a little angry."

"I understand that…" Tony spoke before he was interrupted again. It seemed that Neo was one of the only people who could actually stop Tony from talking.

"No, you don't," the words were a statement, "You don't know that I grew up with people who liked to pretend that I didn't exist in public, and starved and abused me behind closed doors. I loathed my Aunt and Uncles constant need for other people's approval, just so they could reassure themselves that they were the perfect normal family when they were anything but. And my first girlfriend was the same way in public, always putting on a mask for others. You don't know that at eleven years old I was sent to a boarding school, where everyone knew my name and that I was rich before I did. And you don't know, that because everyone was so interested in my life, my first boyfriend broke up with me; he couldn't handle being in the spotlight. You don't know that, because I haven't had the time to tell you.

"But you do know that I would love to tell everyone else to shut up and watch as they choke on their opinions, because I honestly could care less what they think. Knowing that, you still let those women into your bed with their shallow goal of being the next woman that Tony Stark slept with. I want to find them and hex them into next Tuesday for thinking that they can just sleep with my boyfriend. So yeah, I'm angry at your decision. I'll say it was a dumb choice but you're human, so you're allowed to make mistakes."

"Don't make excuses for me," Tony's words were calm because he couldn't decide if he should cry because Neo forgave him, or be mad that it was that easy. "It was a mistake and I need to fix this. I finally admit that I have feelings for you, and then you're gone a few days and I'm back to being a reckless playboy. It was wrong and I'm sorry. It's been a while since I've had to say that and actually mean it, and I don't know how to make it up to you."

"Well, you're off to a good start, because I accept your apology. Don't get me wrong, Tony, I'm angry that you even thought about sleeping with someone else, yet I understand that things are moving fast for you. You're not used to having meaningful relationships so it will take you a while to stop flirting with everyone that has a pulse. But remember, if you ever kiss anyone besides me or our mates I will shave you're hair, superglue your tools to the table, and then replace all of your band-shirts with ones that have pictures of cartoon character from little girl shows and that will only be the beginning."

There wasn't even a pause before Tony said, "Can we talk about shaving my hair, but everything else I'm fine with."

The god laughed, "Alright but only because I like it the way it is, as for this time…I think I'll let you off easy. All you have to do is have dinner with me and our two other mates."

There was a long pause and Neo wondered if they had lost connection then Tony spoke sounding surprised, "Two other mates?"

"Yeah," Neo admits calmly, "You remember Phil, right?"

"Who?"

Neo sighed and shook his head with a fond smile on his face, "Honestly, Tony, for a genius you should pay more attention. Do you remember the agent that was at the Firefighters Ball?"

"Sure," the man said with an audible lack of confidence, but he couldn't help it if he had been distracted with the image of Pepper in the dress she was wearing.

"Well, that night I felt a pull to him like the one I have to you but I wasn't sure then. A day after leaving Malibu I met him again, and when I could still feel the pull, I knew he was one of my soul mates. I was going to tell you after I got back but…anyway after I left last night I met another mate. The bond is growing quickly so it's easy to tell what it is. I want the three of you to meet each other someplace where I can explain things."

"Yeah, why not? I'm sure I can handle it. I just have to make sure I get a bigger bed and stock up on a few supplies, like detectors just in case Mr. Agent accidently drops a bug in my lab."

Neo laughed, "Your taking this amazingly well, but try not to be so blasé around Phil. I don't know how well he will take it when he realizes I'm telling the truth, and for Merlin's sake, Tony, be nice when you meet them."

"No promises. I wonder if having a resident spy will help me up-grade Jarvis' defenses, but don't worry I won't hurt him."

"I'm more concerned about what he could do to you."

"Oh, you're faith is overwhelming," Tony joked back.

After letting out a huff of laughter the younger decided to end the call, "Look, I'm going to let you wrap your head around things, just don't forget we have a date in two days. Bye, Tony."

"Alright, talk to you later, Gorgeous," the older man said before there was a click signaling the call was disconnected.

Putting his phone away, Neo looked at Logan, who had stayed during the conversation.

Logan couldn't find anything to say after he overheard the raven-haired man's conversation. He had heard the part about the young man's Aunt and Uncle, and it had made him want to hunt them down. Then Logan added another name to the list of people he wanted to have a talk with when he heard about the cheating boyfriend, and apparently the guy was trying to get back on Neo's good side. Tony Stark was obviously a playboy that thought he could still live the life and got caught. Let's just say Logan wasn't planning on being very nice when he saw him, and it looked like that would be soon. He then recalled the talk about Neo having soul mates and how they were all supposed to be together. Would he start falling for two strangers like he was for Neo, Logan wondered, or would he not get along with them? What bond, and what did soul mates even mean?

The mutant was distracted from his thoughts when he noticed a change, thanks to his usually acute awareness of his surroundings; Neo had suddenly tensed and was staring at the door.

 ***Break***

Argyros had been sitting in the branches of a tree watching the hatchlings below for a few hours. They stumbled around on their two legs and he almost felt sorry for the flightless creatures, until he saw that some of their "powers" were just as useful for catching food. Maybe their species was not a total lose, but the falcon knew that "humans" were still out classed by animals and Epimetheus could be thanked for that.

The silver bird continued to enjoy the breeze drifting through the trees until another bird landed on a branch near him. Usually he would not bother with other avian because they were far less intelligent-even ravens-but he could tell that this bird was different. Argyros watched as the black bird stared at one of the hatchlings for a long time. He was just getting ready to chase the pitch colored bird off when its form changed. The raven had turned into a form he recognized, one of the hatchlings he had been watching, but it was not the same hatchling because he could see that one walking toward the large human nest.

With the high intelligence given to him by Hermes, Argyros knew what this new comer was, an imposter and even more an intruder.

" _Young god,_ " Argyros called to Neo with his mind, " _There is an intruder, and they are well disguised. I'm not sure but they may be after one of the hatchlings._ "

 ***Break***

When he got the message form Argyros, Neo tensed. 'What would they want with one of the students?' he thought in alarm.

One breathe later, and Neo was gone, teleporting outside close to where he could sense the falcon was. Running to the tree the bird was sitting in, Neo passed by an upset Rogue but he didn't stop; he was too preoccupied with the threat of an intruder.

Seeing that the young god had arrived, Argyros acted. He swooped down, extended his talons and aimed for the intruders head.

The raking of sharp claws across her head startled Mystique and she screamed, as her form shifted back into its natural blue color with scale like pattern.

Neo watched as Argyros seemed to attack one of the mutant teens, but then the assaulted teen changed form right before his eyes into a blue skinned woman. Quickly recognizing her as a shape-shifter, Neo couldn't take chances of the intruder turning into something else and escaping, so he hit her with a stunner while she was distracted by Argyros.

With the threat handled for the moment, Argyros landed on Neo's shoulder. " _It took you long enough; maybe you should ask my creator for a pair of his winged shoes. They are nothing like having your own pair of wings but at least they are something._ "

"It only took fifteen seconds-tops-to get here, and I was on the other side of the mansion," the god announced while feeling slightly insulted.

" _Flying is always faster,_ " Argyros stated, as he gave the unconscious blue creature a critical look. " _Is it some kind of snake? Should I take a bite to see if it tastes like one?_ "

"No, I'm guessing she's a mutant like most of the people here so she's still human, I think. But, what is she doing here? Was she just here to see someone?"

" _A snake does not hide itself in the grass, unless it plans to strike. Looks aside, this one is a snake in the grass._ "

Neo found himself agreeing with the falcon, the mutant's actions were definitely suspicious. Heaving a sigh he answered, "Alright, I'll go ahead and move her inside into the infirmary. She won't wake-up until I revive her, so she won't be able to escape on her own; but I'll set up some warning spells incase she's not working alone. I need you to find Charles Xavier for me, he needs to know about this."

The falcon launched off of his shoulder and quickly left to find the elderly mutant. Neo picked the woman up and used his power to walk through the door of the infirmary with his next step. Laying her on one of the empty beds Neo made sure to place a sticking charm on her. He needed information before he went to Charles, so he revived the stunned woman and waited as she opened her eyes.

Mystique woke-up wondering where she was, the metal walls of the room reflected the lights back at different angles and made to room seem threatening. She could see the medical instruments lying on the counters or in cubbies on the shelves. Fear shot through her as her mind came up with the worst possibilities, was she in some lab, how did she even get there?

Neo saw the fear turning into terror and decided to ease the woman's mind. "You're in the infirmary. My friend saw you sneak into the mansion; he seems to think you're a threat so I knocked you out and brought you here. What are you doing here?"

"What makes you think I'll tell you anything?" she asked her voice deceptively calm.

"Nothing really, but I can always find out another way," he said with a shrug.

"So Charles found another telepath," Mystique commented.

"Not quite…how do you know Xavier?"

"You could say we're old friends."

He was growing impatient, after all Neo was known for having a short fuse, but he tried to stay calm, "Then, what's your name, so I can let Charles know his friend is here to see him?"

"Mystique, but I'm not planning to stay," she said before turning into a cougar and growling threateningly at the man that had caught her. Unfortunately her new form was pinned uncomfortably to the medical bed in the same position and she couldn't turn over. Feeling trapped Mystique shifted back into her true form again. "What did you do?!" she screeched.

Taking a minute to wonder if she really would have attacked him Neo came to a decision, "You're fine, but I'm not sure what other forms you can take so I'm going to stun you again before I leave. Is there anything you would like me to tell Xavier when I see him?"

"I don't care what you tell Charles, you son-of-a…" Mystique started to voice venomously but her eyes shut and she lost consciousness the next second.

"Blessed silence…" Neo sighed, "Really there is no call for such language."

After casting a warning spell that would let him know if anyone else entered Neo left the sterile room, he used his familiar bond to find Argyros, who he had sent to find Xavier and was only a few doors down. Charles and Scott were having a conversation when Neo entered the room. He figured what he had to say could wait, so Neo chose to stand against the wall next to the door, but the two men were interrupted a second time by Logan and Ororo. It seemed that Rogue had gone missing after Neo last saw her, and Logan had become worried.

Charles led them to a large sphere shaped room that had a platform leading to a devise at the center. Once Xavier was left alone in the room the doors closed, and a little while later they opened again. Xavier had found her using a machine he called Cerebro; Rogue was at the train station.

After telling Logan he had to stay, Charles sent Cyclops and Storm to get the girl. For a moment Jean looked like she was going to say something but nothing came out of her mouth.

Neo stayed with Logan after Jean and Charles had left. The young god grew up in a dorm full of boys that leapt before they looked, or "men of action" as some might say. The fact that Logan was a "man of action" didn't escape Neo, and he could tell what the other was about to do. "Geez, I hate being right," he groaned as he followed the rapidly moving figure of his ruggedly handsome mate.

Racing to the garage, Logan found the key for Scott's bike, and without any thought about his action he started the bike and was ready to leave. The older man turned to Neo and said, "I've got to bring her back."

Neo agreed, "I know, but I still have something to tell Charles. I'll meet you there, just promise you'll be careful. I'm not sure what's going on, but Charles said this Magneto guy wants you for something and it won't be good. Still, there's something that doesn't add up, so keep your eyes open."

Logan nodded and drove off leaving Neo standing in the middle of the garage. When Logan was out of sight, Neo pushed back his feeling of foreboding and went to find Charles.

The older man was coming back out of the room where Cerebro was kept wearing a worried expression.

Neo spoke as he came closer, "Charles, I may know why Rogue left. Before I interrupted your conversation with Scott, I discovered an intruder. I stunned her and left her in the infirmary."

Charles face maintained the pensive look as he wheeled passed Neo and into the medical room a few doors down. The silent alarm spell alerted Neo to Xavier entering the room and was quickly canceled by the god. Charles immediately recognized the blue skinned woman on the bed.

"This is not good," the professor said, "Mystique is one of Erik's best operatives; she is extremely good at disguises and exceedingly deadly. He would not send her unless he was preparing for war. I need to get to the train station," his last words were made as he quickly turned his chair around to face Neo, "I cannot figure out what Magneto is planning, but I may be the only one who can stop him. Please bring Mystique, perhaps we can convince him to agree to a cease fire in exchange for her return."

"Alright," Neo said before canceling the spell keeping her stuck to the bed and picking her up.

They met five familiar faces on the way to the garage. Jean, the two Sons of Loki, Elric and Zoul were all in the main hall waiting for them.

"Red told us what's going on-how can we help?" Fenrir questioned.

Charles only slowed down his momentum a little and replied as he kept moving for the door, "I hate to leave the children alone, someone will have to stay and watch the school. Jean and I need to leave, and Neo has agreed to come along." Jean held open the door for the Headmaster who stopped and looked back at the three men he had just met, "Can I trust you to stay here, and keep the children safe?"

Fenrir looked like he was going to refuse, but Jormungandr spoke first, "You can trust us, and it is probably for the best that we stay."

Charles accepted the answer and quickly made his way into the handicap accessible car. Jean got in the driver's seat and Neo climbed in the back with the unconscious Mystique.

Back inside Fenrir turned his pouting face toward his brother, "That's not fair, I'm so bored, and I want to kick butt too."

"In this matter, one god is more than enough, so three would be overkill," Jormungandr reasoned with his whining brother, "Besides, Midgard has been full of surprises so far. You'll get your chance to have some fun, soon."

When Xavier's car arrived at the station the flashing blue and red lights from the police cars were already casting strange shadows on the front of the building. It wasn't long until Charles was having a one-sided conversation with Magneto. When Magneto threatened to kill the officers with their own weapons, Charles countered by revealing that he had Mystique; but it seemed that Magneto was a better poker player. Magneto said that it didn't matter if Charles released Mystique, because he would fire the guns at everyone there if they didn't let them leave. Charles looked back at Neo, and the god understood the silent plea; Charles wanted to let the shape-shifter go.

With the threat to the innocent bystanders Neo nodded grudgingly and pulled Mystique with him from the car. Stepping passed the police line Neo cast a tracking charm on the blue woman before he released the stunning magic.

After waking up, Mystique saw whose arms she was in and where they were and she was happy to see Erik. He must have known she was captured and ordered Charles to let her go.

Neo felt a surge of disgust run through him, 'She's too cunning to be this delusional. Does she really think he cares about her?' He couldn't stop himself from stating the real facts to her, "Xavier played his cards wrong; Charles said he would exchange you for the girl, but Magneto just said he would kill everyone here before he gave us Rogue. Charles got him to agree to let all the hostages go if we handed you over and let him leave too. You're just an afterthought to Magneto-he would have left you here."

"You're wrong," she replied with a glare.

"Not as wrong as you wish I was," the god spoke slowly as if he were talking to an upset child, "Because you know what he's capable of, and I can see your doubt written on your face. You're asking yourself, "If he's capable of leaving me behind now, then who will save me next time?" I know because I've had to deal with fair weather friends too, so I feel obligated to help you understand the truth." They were a few steps away from Magneto, now, and Neo said his final words to Mystic while looking in the eyes of the older man, "It's sad when you can count on your enemies more than your allies."

Finally standing in front of Magneto, the boy gentle set Mystique on her feet and provided a steadying hand until she could stand on her own. Erik heard his last words, obviously this child was trying to turn Mystique against him, and he couldn't let that happen. The second Mystique had stepped away from the dark haired young man, Erik redirected the bullet he had been threatening the police officer with toward the young man and through his skull. Blood and brain matter sprayed onto the ground, and time stopped.

 ***Break***

"You really need to stop getting yourself into these pickles," Death commented from her usual seat.

The same book shelves and fire place greeted Neo as he glanced around. "What am I doing here?" he asked. He was having a hard time remembering what might have brought him back here.

"Well, of course you can't remember, silly. You're brains just got blown out of one side of your head," Death's tone was cheerful in a way that almost made him deny her words, but he knew she wouldn't lie.

"Do you have to say it like that? No offence, but you sound a little crazy being so happy and all." He wasn't expecting a giggle, but then he remembered who he was talking to. Death always seemed happy-go-lucky, except for when she was pissed off.

"Sorry, I know that it doesn't sound very nice, but this is actually a good thing," She said smiling brightly and brushing out a pretend wrinkle in the frilly emerald green dress she was wearing.

Neo's eyebrows rose in disbelief, "And, how are my brains being splattered across the ground like a Jackson Pollock painting a good thing, exactly?"

"Because you can't go back, now," she told him succinctly.

A cold feeling hit Neo in the chest at those words, "What do you mean?"

"I mean it would be a tremendous effort to send you back, one I don't want to spend my time on."

Suddenly he was angry, "What do you mean, you don't want to? You brought me back when Odin tried to kill me. Why do you make this time sound like so much more trouble?" In the back of his head Neo was panicing, 'I just met Tony, Logan, and Phil. It can't end now!'

"…Because it is. The series of events that lead to your death this time where things that should not have happened. A ripple in time, ironically caused by your mate, has changed things and the moment you died has been erased. But since you died before that instant I have to fix the Book of Death, before I can let you proceed past that point in time. The Book of Death is a record of all of the dead in this universe. The Book gives the specific time that a soul must die, once a name is written in the Book of Death that soul cannot return to life. One of my idiot minions-I mean reapers apparently didn't get the memo that Neo Evan Thorson is not a name that goes in the Book, it was probably that ditzy red-headed fool. Anyway, it's not a quick fix because that point in time has been erased, and when something is erased it is gone and not just in an alternate timeline."

"But it doesn't make sense. You're Death, right? You have the power to re-write this Universe…unless, you don't want to," A heavy feeling filled his chest when he came to the understanding that Death did what it wanted, which meant he was at her mercy, now. "So what now, do I just sit here for the rest of eternity?" he asked quietly.

"Of course not," she said with a wave of her hand, like she was shooing away the very thought, "It was a series of events that lead to this problem, so it's just a matter of changing a few things to iron out this little wrinkle in time." Death stood from her chair and walked over to one of the book shelves. Pulling a black, leather bound book from the shelf she walked back and took her seat again. Her long delicate fingers flipped through the pages expertly until they stopped. "Yes," she mumbled to herself, "I think this will work perfectly."

"What is it?" Neo asked leaning forward in his seat to glance at the pages. The entity shut the book with a snap before he could see anything and raised her head with a pleased smirk.

"Simply put, (1) Erik Lehnsherr killed you, (2) his life lead him to the point where he would do that, and (3) the turning point of Erik's life was during World War 2 and the Holocaust; so naturally, you will have to help change Erik's life for the better during that time."

"Naturally," Neo voiced sarcastically, "But I think you're forgetting something. Like how I'm going to go that far back in time. Last time I check there were rules. I can't change anything that hasn't already happened, so it won't work."

"That would be true," she started to say before she took a sip from a tea cup that was not in her hand a second ago, when finished she continued, "for anyone else. But you forgot something, Mr. Smarty-pants…beings have free will. The law of time won't let someone from a different time change things that have already happened, but man creates his own fate, so a person that exists at that moment in time can change things. I exist at all times, which means so do you, you're just not conscious of it. To sum it up…the rule doesn't apply to you."

"That wasn't true my third year," he mumbled.

Death just smiled at him, "Well that's because Hermione was with you, and you had not inherited your title as Master of Death, yet. But really, do you want to sit here and argue semantics or do you want to mess with History?"

The mischievous grin aimed at him made Neo's natural trickster-side take interest. He thought about his options for a few minutes. If he didn't do this he would inevitably be stuck here and unable to enter the living realm, but if he went back in time he could fix that and probably have some fun doing it. Thinking about it like that Neo had on answer;

"How far back am I going?"

Death laughed; looking back later Neo would wonder if it had been an omen.

 ***Break***

Luckily Neo was paranoid about always being prepared for anything; so he had his locket, Marvápn (which held Gleipnir and the mystery sword), the ring he got from Death, his boots and jacket.

Once Death knew he was ready, she called him over to the door. Pausing long enough to curl her arm around his, then she lead him through the door that open on its own accord.

With a single step they were suddenly in the realm of the living again. Neo's eyes glanced over the dirt path in front of them and the large pine trees to either side. The fresh scent of unpolluted air made him feel almost lighter, 'I never realized how bad the air is in my time,' he mused. Their continued movement forward brought Neo's focus back and he looked to the old manor house at the end of the path. He couldn't help but voice his next thought, "Where are we?"

"This is just a slight detour, you could say. I'll have you in the 1940's soon," his companion stated tranquilly.

"I thought we had to worry about Magneto and World War 2. What are we supposed to do here?"

"I mentioned a series of events that lead Erik to killing you, but I also mentioned your mate was the cause of the disturbance in time. He has re-written a lot of his own timeline. We're here to make sure whatever shift has happened is for the better," Death finished her explanation in time to hear a woman calling out from the manor.

"John, Thomas, you two should come inside and cool off!"

The voice came from a beautiful dark haired woman who was leaning out of a large bay window, her pregnant belly obvious from where Neo stood watching. She seemed to have trouble pushing back from the window ledge.

"Elizabeth, be careful!" a worried blonde said as she used one hand to pull the other woman back inside while cradling a blonde toddler to her hip.

"I'm fine, thank you, Mary."

Death and Neo had come close enough that they should have been noticed but Elizabeth, who was keeping an eye on things outside, never took notice of them.

"They can't see us, can they, just like in the terrorist camp?" Neo asked.

"Right," the white-haired woman replied, "They cannot hear or see us."

Neo chuckled, "You know, if you had on a black cloak right know, I'd feel like Scrooge."

Death laughed along with him until two men came toward the house.

"It's a good thing I have you to help me with the new furniture, Thomas. Everything's coming along at a good pace," The shorter dark-haired man said to the blonde beside him.

"No problem, sir. I'm just sorry that Mary's not as helpful, hav'n to take care of Victor," Thomas, the rough looking blonde, said. (Yes, I know that in the comic books the son of Thomas Logan is actually Dog, but this is a fanfiction, so Victor/Sabertooth is here)

"Nonsense, actually Elizabeth tells me that Mary is the only think keeping her sane these days, while she takes it easy. We are lucky to have you and your wife, Tom."

The two men stepped inside and Neo watched on curiously as they joined the two women. The dark haired man, John, walked over and embraced the pregnant Elizabeth while Thomas stood next to Mary and the little boy, Victor. The god caught the way that Thomas was looking at Elizabeth, with something a little bit more than want and bordering on obsession.

"Well, it looks like things have stayed the same. How disappointing," Death commented in annoyance.

Suddenly a scream range out from the side of the house the men had come from. Not long after, a young man came running around the house shouting;

"Mr. Howlett, Mr. Logan! The wood shed is on fire!"

The two men from inside came racing out to the young man, and looking past him they could see smoke rising through the air. All three turned and ran away to help put out the fire, and John was shouting orders at the men that had joined them.

Death dragged Neo to watch what was going on. John, Thomas, and two other men worked on pulling out anything that wasn't burning while four others carried buckets of water between the well and the burning shed.

Neo suddenly felt an ominous feeling as he stood beside Death, her arm still hanging from his. He pondered the sensation; it had felt like the time he met Luke and then when he looked into Amora's eyes. That was when Neo knew something was wrong; but when he moved to act, he was stopped by Death, whose grip held him in place.

Death was focused on the scene before her. She knew Neo was reacting on instinct to what was coming. After all, he was the mortal incarnation of Death, so it was his nature to know when someone was going to die.

The small wooden building had become the perfect fuel for the fire, which was quickly getting out of control. The flames had spread so fast that the building was becoming more and more unstable by the second. As the support beams weakened the roof groaned, and then suddenly the snapping of wood and a shout drew the attention of everyone present. Inside the shed one of the beams holding up the room broke and part of the roof collapsed right on top of the only man currently inside.

With the knowledge that a man was now trapped in the burning building everyone putting out the fire scrambled to work faster. Sometime later, the flames were finally quenched; but with that done the people who had been dousing the burning building started picking their way through the smoldering debris to search for the one that had been trapped inside. What they found was not pleasant. Thomas Logan, lay under pieces of chard wood on the ash covered floor with a two foot shaft of broken beam protruding from his back.

John stood over the body of his groundskeeper as he quietly ordered his workers to carefully clear away the rubble to retrieve the dead man.

"It seems things have changed here," Death said evenly. At the questioning glance from Neo, she continued, "Before the ripples affected the timeline, Thomas Logan was not fated to die today, but I have collected his soul and made the necessary corrections to the Book of Death."

"You work fast," Neo commented quietly.

"Yes," Death gave a confident smirk, "This is not the first time that Time has been re-written, and it may not be the last."

Neo hummed in reply before asking, "So what exactly are we doing here, if we're not trying to fix things?"

"We were never here to "fix" anything," Death responded while using air quotes to emphasize her words. "Your mate has affected the timeline more than his original goal of saving the future. Unfortunately for you, that choice is the reason you have to be here. But, this has nothing to do with Erik Lehnsherr and everything to do with James Howlett, or Logan as you know him, and his half-brother, Victor."

Neo's brow furrowed in confusion while he thought about what Death had said, as she lead him back toward the house. Stepping through the front door Neo noticed a change, the happy faces of Elizabeth and Mary had been replaced with somber looks and the women were dressed in black.

John stood next to the grieving widow quietly informing her, "Everything has been arranged for you to stay here and raise Victor. You and your son will always be welcome in this house."

"That's right, Mary," Elizabeth said as she rubbed the other woman's hunched back gently, "Everything is going to be fine. I'll help you look after Victor, and you'll help me with James won't you. We can raise them like brothers. We are here for you."

Death lead him passed the three and into a hallway. Neo heard childish laughter before they entered a bedroom with two boys, about eight and seven, sitting on the bed in the room.

"…and then your dad pulled so hard that the fish came flying out of the river and smacked him right in the face," the blonde eight year old said, before the boys shared a laugh again.

"I wish I could have seen it," the black haired boy said. The child's flushed cheeks and the fact he was still laying under the covers in the middle of the warm summer day showed that he was sick.

The blonde boy frowned for a second before he laid down next to the other and hugged the smaller boy to him, "Don't worry Jimmy, you'll get better and then you can come along next time."

When Death and Neo exited the bedroom, it was dark and stormy outside. Flashes of lightning illuminated the hallway as they walked back towards the entrance parlor. Once in the other room Neo saw something that made his heart ache for the family again.

John Howlett stood at gun point while his wife, Elizabeth, and her friend, Mary, stood behind him holding their sons close. The intruder's clothes were soaked by the rain and slowly formed a puddle under the muscled man. With a thick and wild beard and anger filled eyes, the man seemed more threatening than the weapon he held.

"What's a man doing in a house with two women? Is this some kinda whore house, but out in the middle a no-where, so's the law don't catch ya?" the gunman grumbled and the whiskey on his breath drifted through the still air.

"This is my house," John replied with indignation, "And you are trespassing, leave."

"I gotta inkling to stay," was the reply while the gun rocked threateningly, "This is yer house, huh? Well, don't you know how to show some hospitality? I thin' ya should have one o' yer women get me some dry clothes, ya know, nice an' polite like. After that I'ma gonna tie you's up so's everyone is nice an' comfy, meanin' I don't gatta wave my gun aroun' no mo'. Then I thin' the boys an' I will have us some fun playin' up steers while, ye three stay down 'ere." The leer that the gunman directed at the boys as he said his last sentence was sickening.

"No," Mary said. Her body starting to tremble more as she looked at her son, "No, not Victor," she murmured. "NO!" she suddenly screamed, and with her will to protect her son driving her, Mary launched herself at the intruder.

"Mary!" John called as he pushed Mary out of the way of the gun that had been turned on her.

A shot rang out and John fell to the floor motionless. James stood staring at the body of his father as he suddenly felt lost in a world that had become a nightmare.

"Well, I rekin' I ain't gotta tie ya up if yer dead," the man with the gun said, and then pointed it at Elizabeth, who was in shock at her husband's death.

James feelings of lose turned to anger, directed at the man that had killed his father and was now pointing a gun at his mother. He moved faster than the gunman could pull the trigger, and ran straight into the intruder hands raised slamming his fists into the man's chest and forced him back against the wall.

For a few seconds the man stood frozen, then he opened his mouth and was unable to say anything as blood dripped from his mouth.

The sight of blood took James by surprise and he pulled away, watching as he pulled his fists back and three bone-like claws were protruding between the knuckles of each hand.

The assailant's eyes went lifeless as he slumped against the wall then fell to the floor.

The first one to approach James as he stood there in the middle of the room, was Victor, "You got'em Jimmy. We're safe now, 'cause you saved us." Victor placed a hand on James shoulder. At the contact the younger boy twitched then turned around and buried his face in the blonde's chest. Victor swallowed hard as the other began to cry, "I gotcha, Jimmy," he said softly into the black hair on James head.

Standing in place Neo watched the scene change again. Two adult versions of Victor and James had just walked through the door smiling as they greeted their mothers. Elizabeth and Mary sat sewing patches into a blanket. Mary beamed at her son, but Elizabeth's smile was slightly sad.

The young god continued to watch as Victor and James seemed to stop aging. He saw them sitting at their mothers deathbeds; first Elizabeth, and then Mary. Neo watched as Mary finally revealed the truth about James biological father and that the two men were half-brothers.

As the people around them became weary of their youth, James and Victor decided to move to the Americas. Neo saw how they remained brothers, defending each other in bar fights and from humans that attacked them because of their mutant abilities. Later they came across a group of Native Americans who decided to take them in and let them live among the tribe, since they were "unwanted" by their own people.

Death allowed Neo to briefly glimpse scenes of Victor and James fighting in World War 1, after the fighting was done, the brothers moved to Japan. While in Japan Victor and Logan were taken in by a man that they had saved in the War. The brothers learned the fighting styles, traditions and culture of Japan, and were adopted into the Japanese man's family. It was a profoundly-wise lesson that their sensei Master Aritomo taught Victor when he saw the man's growing thirst for violence, but in the end it worked and Victor was turned from the dark path that he had been going down; from that day forward Victor led an honorable life as a skilled warrior who fought to protect lives. James met a very beautiful woman named Itsu during this time. Itsu had quickly come to develop feelings for him, but James chose not to become involved with her because of a feeling he had been having all of his life. Unknown to James, the bond that had formed between the futures 'Logan' and Neo transcended time and it was affecting them even now; James' soul would not let him love anyone else, so he had never taken a lover.

When it comes to the early 1930's, Death slows down time around them, and Neo watches the World prepare for war. After the concentration camps the Nazi Party becomes Germany's only political party, and then Hitler becomes Führer and Treaties are broken. A few years later and somehow, Victor and Logan have found their way back into the fray, and are fighting against Germany and its allies.

Neo experiences another change in scenery but this is different; he can no longer see Victor or James, and instead he and Death are standing in the middle of a crowd being shoved along a path of fence and razor wire by armed soldiers. On the other side of the fences are men and women working in the rain. Neo glances the numbers inked into the arm of one of the men and frowns knowing where he was.

Death silently urges him forward, and he can see her usually smiling face has turned stony. While walking Neo sees strange shadows being cast by the gray sky; but as he looks harder he can tell that they aren't shadows, but gray shapes like fog are drifting around. Death can sense Neo's confusion at the figures and pulls Neo to a stop; then she lets go of his arm so she can lift both hands to cover his eyes. With his eyes covered Neo becomes hyper aware and he notices Death's power affecting him. His Mage Sight was being invoked, no wait, it's not his Mage Sight; Neo realized Death is helping him activate what she called the Death Gaze. Neo had accidentally used it once before, so he tried to pay attention to how it was activated, now. When Death pulled her hands away, Neo's stomach dropped. What he had seen wasn't shadows; they were spirits that were aimlessly wondering around the camp. He wasn't just able to see them now, he could hear them; some of the ghosts were wondering around calling out names, others murmured words of prayer which he was able to understand, and the rest begged to go home.

"There is Erik," Death observed, and nodded to a boy walking beside his mother and father. "Things are about to get complicated," she warned as she stepped aside, all of the people around them seemed to subconsciously back away, "I suggest you summon your armor and weapon."

The few seconds it took Neo to will his jacket to turn into armor and change Marvápn into a crossbow, was long enough for Erik and his parents to reach the front of the line and be separated.

During training Neo found out that he had an uncanny ability to hit the hardest of targets with an arrow even if it wasn't the target he had originally aimed at, and he swore that one squirrel would glare at him every time he saw it. But, he had solved his little aiming problem one day when he used Marvápn. The god-weapon was so in-tune with him that it would hit anything he aimed at; like the apple one of the Ares campers was about to take a bite out of at 50 yards away. The boy had said something mean to a younger daughter of Athena that morning and made her cry, Neo called things even when the boy wet himself as he stared at the arrow an inch from his face. Chiron had given him a knowing look when Neo claimed it had been an accident. "That's the thing about the Sons of Hermes," the centaur had said, "they are particularly good at sports. He is the god of Athletes, after all."

Only taking a moment to sight the wood and steel arrow he had created with his magic Neo fired, once, twice, three times…and the men taking away Erik's parents all fell to the ground clutching a wounded leg and dropping their weapons in the mud.

"Three for three," he said with a smirk, "Not bad." Neo shook off Death's power of invisibility and became visible as he pointed the weapon at the soldier holding Erik. "Let the boy go," he ordered in German.

The crowd was distressed when the three soldiers fell to the ground with arrows protruding from their bodies. Then startled gasps came from most of the onlookers when a man with a bow appeared out of thin air wielding a crossbow.

A ruckus was made as other armed men in uniform pointed their guns at Neo shouting at the god to put his weapon down. That was when Neo realized that he knew how to protect himself in this kind of situation, thanks to the battle magic he learned, but the men and women in the camp were in danger. Casting a widespread summoning spell he pulled all of the guns from the soldiers' hands and they landed at his feet.

In his anger Neo couldn't stop from sneering at the now scared killers, and that's what they were; every last one of these men had committed murder, and now they all stared at him with fear because they didn't have their guns, "Pathetic," he spat.

"I won't say it again," Neo growled as he pulled the trigger on the crossbow. The arrow launched throw the air and hit its target, leaving the shaft sticking out of the shoulder of the man holding Erik.

The young mutant had gone still in surprise when Neo showed up threatening an armed soldier in a Nazi Camp full of trigger happy guards, but once the soldier's grip went slack, Erik ran to his parents where they stood next to the three other wounded men. He may have just been saved by the mysterious stranger, but when he looked at the man, Erik saw a fierce warrior who stood like an avenging angel among the soldiers; the sight was almost as terrifying as it was a relief.

Of course, the commotion was noticed by more soldiers who arrived just after Erik's mother had grabbed him and hugged him tightly to her chest. Having more men to face a lone fighter must have emboldened the unarmed men, since they started shouting at the others to, "Shoot him! Shoot him, NOW!"

Gun fire sounded through the Camp, but it died off as the soldiers slowly realized that the bullets were being stopped by an invisible barrier, and falling harmlessly to the ground.

One of the first spells that had been in the _Grimoire of the Battle Magus_ was a spell that could stop a volley of arrows by creating a kinetic barrier around a magus. By using the law of opposing forces the kinetic energy of the arrows would be transferred to the barrier and would actually make it stronger, so attacking it would only increase the protection because any force applied would be countered equally. But the spell had fallen out of use, due to how draining it was on the Spellcaster to maintain the barrier for an extended amount of time.

Neo dropped the spell as the last man stopped firing, but it seemed that the soldier was braver than the rest, as he pulled a knife from his belt and ran at Neo. Using his arm guard to block the attack Neo was surprised when the man quickly released the weapon, only to catch it in his other hand and thrust the blade at Neo's abdomen. With his faster reflexes Neo caught the hand holding the blade, and gave a sharp twist that broke the man's wrist before he elbowed the face of the soldier trying to sneak up behind him. With a quick thought Marvápn changed back into a wrist band freeing up the gods hands, because he doubted any of these men were worth changing the crossbow into a close combat weapon. The fight had been rekindled in them but the mortal men didn't last long against Neo. Leaving behind the unconscious bodies of the soldiers tied up with spelled rope, the god walked over to Erik.

It hit the god then, that he had saved the life of the same person who had just blown his brains out in the future. 'Is this enough to change that?'

"No," Death spoke as she walked up to his side, silent and invisible to everyone but the young god, "It's a start, but Erik is still in danger. If he is captured, he will be experimented on and he will grow into the same man he was before. For now, you have to keep him safe."

'But, how am I supposed to get them to safety? I have no idea where I am, and it's going to be hard traveling with three other people when I don't know that information,' he responded back in his head.

"That's why I'll be leading the way, and who said anything about three other people, you're going to get everyone else out of here too," She said as she looked at him with her usual grin.

Neo sighed as he looked around at the men and women frozen in shock, "What are you waiting for? Get the keys and open the gates, you're all free, now."

"But the train has left and we are stranded here with these soldiers, who will kill us all now, thanks to you," an elderly man in the crowd commented.

Neo leveled a cold look at the man, "Thanks to me? It's thanks to me that you are still alive, and if you don't have enough self-preservation to realize that, then you are no more than the cattle these men treat you as." He turned and gazed around him at the rest of the crowd as he spoke to them, "I am her to get you out, and anyone who wishes to leave can follow me. Do not let these men take away your spirit like they took away your homes. You can walk out that gate and be free, but you have to do it under your own power."

Whispers went through the crowd but no one moved to leave. Neo just shook his head thinking, 'You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.' He looked into Erik's grey eyes and saw something that made him smile. He could see that the boy was unsure and a little frightened, but there was a certain kind of determination that made him look Neo in the eye without turning away; it was the same kind of determination that Neo had seen in the mirror every day of his life. Erik had an unconquerable spirit that could lead him to either save the world or destroy it depending on his decisions.

Raising his hand in the classic gesture of a handshake, Neo said, "I will protect you, do you trust me?"

Erik nodded his head slightly as he clasped hands with the person who had just saved him and his family. He had seen what the Nazi's were doing, to him it was obvious what their motives were, but Erik had also seen how people around him just let it happen. Secretly, Erik had started to think that no one would care enough to try and save his family, but just as he was starting to lose hope, a man dressed in armor and holding a crossbow had suddenly appeared and saved them.

Neo had loosened his grip but when Erik continued to hold his hand Neo readjusted his grip to hold the boys hand, "Alright, come on," Neo said as he led Erik and his family back the way they had come from. Glancing behind him, Neo caught the eyes of Erik's mother who was smiling at her son's unusual clinginess.

The four were silently joined as they walked out of the Camp. The prisoners that joined them were not in the best condition to walk cross-country, but there were no sick or injured among them because of the heartless actions of the Nazi's. It was common knowledge among the Camp that anyone who could not work would be executed. Almost seven minutes after leaving the Camp they reached the railroad tracks that would periodically bring more people to the Concentration Camp.

Neo was up front with Erik and the boy was still holding his hand. Death appeared at his side again and held up a hand that made him stop, and that was when a clattering sound reached his ears. The god turned his head and grinned down at the boy who was looking at him curiously.

'Why is he stopping? Was he lying?' Erik thought as he came to a stop beside his rescuer about ten feet from the tracks, but then he heard something.

Everyone else quickly noticed the noise too, and panic started to go through them as they wondered if it was another train transporting more Jews and armed guards.

With almost unnatural speed a large black train pulled up next to them. Neo recognized that the train had the same style as the fireplace in Death's study; figures of angels protruded from the black metal and looked as ominous as they were beautiful. All of the doors opened as the train came to a stop. The young god lead the mutant and his parents into the first car of the passenger section. The rest of the prisoners found places in the other cars; no one seemed to notice that the train was large enough to hold everyone in the Camp comfortably.

The interior of the train was also decorated like the study in Death's realm, with antique plush couches and chairs in a warm shade of burgundy, and thick carpets. Neo sat in a chair across the car from the small family he had saved, and he watched as Erik was embraced by his parents as they sat on one of the couches. In a twisted way Neo could sympathize with Magneto now, because having that kind of love torn away from you left emotional scares; Hecate had saved a large piece of Neo the day she had brought back Sirius and Remus. It still stung when Neo thought about Magneto killing him, but he was hopefully going to change that or he couldn't return to the future. Thoughts of the future brought up a question, "What will history say about this," the god asked himself quietly.

"Not much," Death commented off handedly as she sat next to Neo, "Statements from the soldiers will say that an intruder entered the Camp, took out the guards and help the prisoners escape, but that information will remain classified and when Hitler's Regime is gone there will only be a few documents with vague references to the incident. Of course the prisoners will tell everyone they meet that they were saved by a man who helped them escape; but no one will ever be able to remember what that man looked like or where he came from."

She giggled when she saw the young gods face, "Why do you look so surprised? Did you already forget about the gods? Isis has been shielding the world of the gods from the mortals for a long time already, so the mist clouded the mortal's sight of you once you activated your godly powers. They forgot what you looked like as soon as they looked away. The only one that I could make an exception for was Erik because he is a mutant and has powers beyond those of normal mortals. It's the same reason no one will be able to remember the train after they step outside."

"Hmm, that's convenient," the comment rolled off of his tongue as he scanned the elegant room, a small flash out of the corner of his eye drew Neo's attention to the glass of water that had appeared on the side table, "…and I really like the train." He cast a privacy ward to keep the other three in the car from hearing the rest of his conversation with Death.

A sudden yawn took the god by surprise, and Neo blink to keep his eyes open when a wave of exhaustion threatened to knock him out.

"Whoa, I didn't know I was this tired," he said, as he struggled with his earge to fall asleep in the chair.

Death pick her lip sheepishly but there was an impish glint in her eyes, "Yeah…funny thing about that; I may have forgotten to mention that you would be really tired after we took our little jaunt through the time stream. You may be a god and pretty powerful, but time travel takes a lot out of you. That's why you don't hear any stories of the gods doing it very often, and we did go more than a hundred years back into the past before we got here to this time. Then you used your godly powers before you beat up those soldiers, which may not seem like a lot to you but it added to the exhaustion of time traveling.

Neo's face went blank, "You forget a lot of things, maybe you're getting too old for this."

"Hey, don't be so mean! It's not like I'm the one choosing to be unreasonable when it comes to your safety, I just get caught up in the moment sometimes…"

"Wait, unreasonable, what's that supposed to mean?" he demanded with a glare.

"You have to admit that it was a little ridiculous carrying Mystique to Magneto who can control metal and had already expressed that he has no qualms about killing people. Then you proceed to try and turn his minion against him, right in front of his face. It wasn't a very intelligent idea, and as far as your usual plans go, I think that was one of the top ten worse ones, yet. I say, yet, because I know you."

"Oh, really? Well, you can't tell me that you haven't done stupid things too. I can even name one," the young god said.

"Oh yeah, try it," Death challenged.

Leaning back into the chair and closing his eyes with a smug smirk on his lips, Neo replied, "Four words; Deathly Hallows, Peverell Brothers."

Death had opened her mouth before she caught on to Neo's meaning and instantly forgot her witty retort. Not wanting to look like a gapping fish she closed her mouth with a snap before her bottom lip pressed out in a pout. The feeling of smug satisfaction that she could feel from Neo made her pout even more.

With his eyes closed Neo may have missed her expression, but he could also feel the emotions coming through their bond and knew that she was sulking.

The entity sighed before rolling her eyes, "I prefer to think of it this way, at least I helped to make sure you got the smart genes."

"So, now you're calling me smart?" the god asked, "And admitting that you made a mistake in the same sentence? Wow."

Death scoffed before getting up and pulling him with her, "Whatever, you're just being delusional. You need to get some sleep, go on," she said and pointed her finger toward a room at the end of the car. Opening the door Neo found a bed and he quickly turned his armor back into his jacket and boots before plopping down and falling asleep on seconds.

Smiling at her young incarnation, Death laughed, "Is this what it's like to have a younger brother?"


	7. Chapter 6

_Author Note: Whew boy, I am sorry that it took this long everyone, but I hope you enjoy this chapter. It was mostly because I wanted to make sure Neo stayed the same sarcastic, why-the-heck-not, god that we know and love, even during a War._

 _It was kind of fun writing Logan/Wolverine/James Howlett. I'm just sorry he had to be a jerk and isn't involved in this chapter as much. And I hope everyone wasn't mad at me for making Victor his brother, which was not in the original comics. I realize that I refer to Wolverine as James in this chapter, and I do it for two reasons, (1) he hasn't been given the alias Wolverine yet, and (2) Logan actually isn't his real name and since I changed his background story he goes by James or Victor's nickname for him, Jimmy._

 _This is rated M for violence and some suggestive content._

"Blah." = normal speech

Blah. (or all CAPS) = emphasis on words/different languages ( _I don't know enough German to make sure that I don't butcher it, so for everyone's sake I have decided to write the places where they should be speaking German in English_ )

'Blah.' = thoughts

" _Blah_." = beast speech

" _Blah._ " = Death's mental voice

 ***This*** = scene change

The Law of Three

Chapter 6

On any given day the average person will think about their mortality at least once, so Neo was off to a good start today thanks to Death, and wasn't that ironic. He woke up only thirty minutes after falling asleep to heard Death say, "Get up, before you are killed by one of my beautifully crafted door-handles."

Neo honestly had to pause a moment after hearing that, because in all of his crazy and dangerous life he was pretty sure he had never heard that line before; but thinking about it as he tried to wake up, he realized it wasn't the strangest thing he's heard.

"Wha…Aah!" he had barely gotten the vowel sound passed his lips when he was yanked to the side and over the edge of the bed. There may or may not have been a dull thump that came from his bed a few seconds after he was unceremoniously tossed on the ground, but Neo wasn't worried about that since his head had hit the lovely metal floor at the same time.

As he lay rubbing the back of his head he heard Death again, "Sorry, you were taking too long, another second and it wouldn't have mattered."

The young god gave Death a withering glare, but the affect was ruined when he started rubbing the sleep from his eyes, "I'm too tired to really argue; please, just tell me what this is all about."

Death smiled kindly as she waved a hand at the bed, "I was just making sure that didn't happen to you."

Neo rolled his eyes before looking toward the bed. He stilled instantly as he looked at the door-handle protruding from the mattress where it had stabbed through the material just slightly under and to the right of the pillow. And, now he was awake.

A quick glance at the door showed that the door-handle had torn itself from the wood and traveled almost seven feet across the room to get to the bed. When his eyes traveled back to the handle Neo noticed something important that told him what had happened; the handle was metal and the young god knew one person who had the power to control metal.

"Erik's having a nightmare, the poor boy," the entity commented.

"Well, isn't that nice," the younger being replied in a voice dripping with sarcasm, as he rose from the floor, "He's having a nightmare, I'm having a day-mare, between the both of us we're off to a great start."

Still fully dressed, Neo didn't need to pause before he exited the small sleeping area. In the other part of the car Erik and his parents had each taken a couch and were asleep, but not everything was peaceful.

 ***Dream***

Erik's nightmare had started out as a dream; in it he had been eating breakfast with his family but then soldiers barged in and took them away. The dream conveniently skipped over the long and cramped ride to the Camp; but as they entered the Camp everything was different than it had been. The prisoners were all skeletons in various states of decay while monsters with large teeth and claws walked around dressed in Nazi uniforms. The monsters watched them with beady black eyes but then one of them grabbed his parents and started pulling them away from him. The boy recognized his own cries in the dream, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get to his parents through the crowd of skeletons. Then he felt one of the monsters wrap its deadly claws around his arms and pull him back, by that time a gate had closed and separated him from his family. Erik knew he could open the gate, it was metal and he could move metal if he wanted to. Just as the gate had started to open another monster had started to pull him back, and it was getting harder to open the gate.

 ***Train Car***

The Master of Death watched as the boy started to fidget in his sleep while the metal objects in the room started to shake. Neo didn't want a repeat of the door-handle incident, so he reached out with his magic and cast a calming spell then watched as everything stopped shaking. He breathed a silent sigh of relief, "Maybe I should have given him a dreamless sleep potion. I'm sure I have one under a status charm in my trunk."

Death, having followed him into the room, just smiled and said, "I don't think that will be necessary; it would seem that he's found a hero to protect him and defeat the monsters."

 ***Dream***

When more monsters had started to pull him away from his parents it became even harder to open the gate and Erik had almost lost all his strength, but suddenly the monsters had let go of him. When Erik turned around to see what had happened he saw the same man that had saved him before dressed in armor and a long red cape holding a crossbow, and lying on the ground around the mysterious man were the monsters that had been holding him. Remembering his parents Erik looked back, and they were just standing there surrounded by monsters that had arrows sticking out of them.

 ***Train Car***

Nodding to Death, Neo said, "That's good, everyone needs a hero to defeat the monsters." Then he went back to the bed in the other room and pulled the door-handle out of the mattress before he lay down; never knowing who Erik's hero had been.

Hours later the train stopped at its destination and everyone that had fallen asleep woke up refreshed. That day almost 300 Nazi prisoners showed up in England, yet no one could remember how they got there and the group that had left the Concentration Camp was minus four, but no one ever noticed.

Death had already been able to make arrangements for Erik and his parents Jakob and Edie Lehnsherr; so while her Twilight Train was letting off its passengers in Poland, Neo and the small family had already arrived in America.

The apartment Neo took them to was almost too large for the small family with a master bedroom and bath, two other bedrooms and a bathroom, a full kitchen with island and dining area, and a living room that had a couch and two lounge chairs. Erik was in awe, not only had he and his parents been saved but they were given a nice place to live.

"Why?" Erik's father asked in a hushed tone, as if speaking too loud would make everything disappear and they would find themselves back at the Concentration Camp.

After they arrived, Neo had chosen to stand at the door and quietly watch. The question drew his attention to the older man, "'Why', what?"

Seeing her husband hesitate Edie spoke the question instead, "Why did you help us, and why did you bring us here?"

"I helped you because you needed help, and I brought you here because I'm helping you," was the vague reply before he continued speaking, a frown twisted his face as he recalled his history lessons, "The Nazi Camp's are not just for segregation, forced labor and committing mass genocide. Men and women claiming to be Nazi scientists are already experimenting on captives. They do terrible and unforgivable things to normal people. I don't even want to think about what they would do to someone who is special, like your son."

He paused and took in the fearful expressions of the other three in the room, "It wouldn't have taken them long to figure out his secret. Erik is just like any other child with powers. Children don't know control, so it's hard to expect them to control themselves let alone their abilities and those abilities grow just like children do. It's like eating too much, you can eat so much that you make yourself sick and then your body realizes that it has to get rid of the excess, so you end up throwing up. A child cannot control their powers enough to filter out energy that has built up, so the power finds outlets, ways to let off the pressure that has built up from not being used which usually causes accidents. Erik would have had an accident, probably just like the ones he's already been having, am I right?" Neo's eye sweeps critically over the boy's parents and he caught a flash of surprise and apprehension on their faces. "And, of course, with people being closed minded and Hitler's regime gunning for you, you told him to hide his power…Well, I guess I can't blame you for doing what most people would do. After all you were just trying to keep your son safe. But I can speak from experience when I say ignorance is not bliss, and it can get you killed," Neo pushed off of the wall when he finished and turned to leave.

"No wait," Erik's mother said, her voice became louder in desperation before she spoke again more quietly, "…train my son."

"What?" Neo questioned as he turned to gaze curiously at the woman, unaware that he was mimicking the expression on Jakob and Erik's faces.

The older woman's gaze was more resolute as she answered, "You have powers, like my son, and you said that it was dangerous for him because he does not have training, yes? I'm asking you to train my son, and keep him safe for me. Please, help my son?"

The young god was about to answer in the negative until he heard Death's voice speaking to him through their bond, " _I think it's a good idea_ _,_ " she said as if a sudden epiphany had come to her, " _Technically your mission isn't over until you have changed the course of Erik Lehnsherr's future, and this is pretty much the easiest way to affect his development_ _._ "

'While we're on the topic of my mission, why don't you explain it to me again?'

" _Again? Were you even listening to me the first time_ _?"_ she asked exasperatedly.

Neo grit his teeth, 'I was listening. I still don't get how going back in time to change the future when you said it had already changed, is supposed to make sense. But, let's just say that I understand the whole thing about my death and Erik being connected, what exactly do I have to do here? You told me I was supposed to save him, and I'm pretty sure I already did that, so why am I still here?'

A mental sigh came through their bond before Death spoke, " _You have to save Erik from his future. If he becomes the same man that he was when he killed you, then Life will not allow me to erase your name from the Book of Death, because Erik will likely kill you again. Without changing Erik's future, events will still play out like they did before and he will kill you, maybe not in the same place or at that exact time, but it will happen…Just trust me, alright? I have been doing this a lot longer than you_." As she said her last sentence, Death's usual mood was back and Neo could practically see her smiling at him.

Just thinking about that smile had him wanting to give in. It must have been the fact that she was "The Death", but when she smiled he knew it would be easier to face down a Hungarian Horn-tail than tell her "no". Neo rolled his eyes at that thought, 'So, I'm his baby sitter for the foreseeable future?'

" _Yes_ _._ " Death chirped favorably.

Looking right into Erik's eyes and seeing that the boy was waiting as expectantly as his parents for the answer, Neo replied, "Sure, I've got time."

 ***Break***

Within a month Neo's name had become synonymous with "magic" in Erik's mind. After moving into the spacious apartment in New York, the young man never expected more than to have his freedom, but Neo had helped him get even more.

Once the god had decided that he would help Erik control his powers he rented out the apartment next door, and with a few privacy wards and spells the apartment included a large training room with magically enhanced walls that were tougher than steel and sound proof.

Neo noted that the reinforced walls were a very good idea when Erik's emotions had gotten the better of him one day. Erik sent the iron canon ball Neo had conjured for him to practice with at the wall in a fit of frustration, and it would have gone through into a neighbor's bedroom without the protection spells the god had cast.

The apartment building that they were living in was owned by Stark Industries and part of Howard Stark's push for innovation. As tenants of the building, they had even been formally invited by letter to the Stark Expo that would be opening in a few weeks.

Once Jakob understood that they were living in one of the best apartments in town, he was understandably overwhelmed. The older man had tried repeatedly to tell Neo that they should move because they couldn't afford the place, but Neo would mention a wealthy benefactor that wouldn't take no for an answer, so they were stuck there (him included).

Today's practice had started out with the usual meditation to help Erik feel his psychic connection to his powers. That part was admittedly a little harder for the boy but Neo wouldn't let him skip it, "It's not going to be easy and you might need help, but inside of you is the connection to your powers that will help you master them. When you find that connection everything is going to fall into place," Neo had told him in their first week of training, "but for now, keep practicing."

"Not bad," the young god commented as Eric willed the small metal marble he was controlling to do figure eights in the air, "keep working and tomorrow we will start with two objects at a time."

"Why can't we start today?" Erik asked, but as he spoke the boy lost concentration on the marble and it fell to the floor. Erik had just started doing more than moving medium sized objects across the room, so he was frustrated that he was practicing with small objects again; even if the goal was to make them float in the air which was actually harder, but he wouldn't admit that.

Neo spoke as he put away the training mat he had been sitting on, "Because you need a break, we've been working on this for an hour and a half, and you need to rest." Neo saw the dejected look on the boys face and was almost certain he knew what Erik was thinking, "No, I don't think that you are weak or slow, so stop thinking that. You are young though and you need a chance to rest or you will exhaust yourself. Even I get tired when I have to use my powers for too long."

The younger boy reluctantly moved to put his mat away, and met Neo at the closet where they stored equipment. Neo took the mat from Erik and walked back into the large closet to put it away. "But, I've seen you do a lot more with a wave of your hand, and you never act tired after your own training," Erik commented petulantly, but he turned sheepish when Neo raised an eyebrow at him curiously. The young mutant had just indirectly admitted to spying on Neo while he was training, which Neo usually did before Erik arrived for his lessons.

The god gently nudged the younger boy as he walked out of the small storage space to show that he wasn't upset, "Don't focus on what I can do, Erik, my circumstances are different than yours. Everyone is different but we all had to start somewhere, so don't worry if you have to start out small. Besides, your powers are still growing, and they need the chance to develop. If you strain yourself too much at this stage it could damage that development." Neo thought about his own problem with the mind arts due to his lessons with Severus Snape, and he was just glad that he didn't suffered from them after receiving his new life but he still detested people reading his mind.

"However, I'm willing to make you a deal," Neo said as he exited the training room and lead Erik through his apartment to the door, which he opened to glance down the hallway before speaking again, "if you can manage to not use your powers for the next four hours, you can come back and practice for a while before we have to head to the Expo, agreed?"

Erik nodded vigorously, "Yes! I promise," he agreed before almost running back to his own apartment in excitement.

The god smiled at the retreating form of the young mutant before he closed the door. Neo spent the next few minutes trying to decide what he would do for lunch. Finally he decided that he had been in his apartment long enough today and changed clothes before leaving for the diner down the street.

Exiting the diner later, Neo still had more than three hours before he needed to be back at the apartment, so he walked around taking in the sights. He walked by a recruitment office and as he looked at the sign Neo accidently bumped into someone.

"Oh, sorry," he voiced quickly before he got a good look at the slight man that he had knocked over.

"No, it's my fault. I should know better than to walk into a brick wall," was the quip that came back as a reply. The other man quickly picked himself up off of the ground and Neo noticed that the other was not just slight but short.

"Well I wasn't paying enough attention, so why don't we call it even, Mr…?" the god trailed off as he fished for the other man's name; taking note of the fact they were standing in front of the door to the recruitment office where the man had obviously come from.

"Rogers, Steve Rogers," the blonde replied.

Neo smiled kindly, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Steve, and I really am sorry. Can I make it up to you?"

"No, there is no need to worry about it. It kind of happens a lot," Steve said with a shrug.

"I can understand that," the god commiserated as he thought about his previously short stature. Seeing the skeptical look on the blondes face Neo realized his mistake, in his current body he was actually about three heads taller than Steve, and he mentally kicked himself as he chose his next words, "Uhm, I recently had a late growth spurt."

"Right, anyway, if you'll excuse me I was just leaving," Steve said as he skirted around Neo on the sidewalk.

"Hey," the god called making the man pause, "If you are going far, why don't I pay for your cab as an apology?"

"No thanks, I was heading to the theatre down the street."

Neo was suddenly curious, "Really, what kind of theatre?"

Steve was kind enough to explain that it was a movie theatre that was showing different clips that afternoon. Neo was interested since it was a good way to spend time away from the apartment, so he politely asked Steve if he could join him, and when they got to the ticket boot he took the opportunity to buy both of their tickets. Steve tried to protest but Neo said it was fine and a thank you for Steve showing him the theatre. A real had just started showing the war efforts, when some rude sod started yelling in the audience. Neo could see that the man was upsetting the blonde man he had just met, and when Steve told the man to be quiet the god knew this wasn't going to end well.

Sure enough, the rude man stood up and told Steve they could take it outside. Steve obliged even when he say that the man was much bigger and taller than him.

Neo, of course, followed them outside and watched as the man threw the first punch. He could tell that Steve was going to have a hard time but he knew that this was Steve's fight, so he just waited to see what would happen.

"Ooh! That's alright Steve, way to take a hit. But…you do remember that you can dodge, right?" the god commented after the first hit.

The fight had been clean, with only punches thrown, except for the fact that the opponents were unevenly matched. Neo had to admit that the scrawny blonde was persistent when he straightened back up the second time. But, the fight was ended when another man showed up and he obviously knew Steve.

The two had finished arguing about something to do with enlisting when the brunette in the military uniform turned to Neo and spoke, "Shouldn't you have beaten it when your buddy ran?"

Knowing that the brunette was probably just worried about his friend the god smirked, "Actually, I just met Steve and he invited me to watch a picture with him before we were rudely interrupted by that man."

"Well, it is nice to know that you're the type of guy who watches from the sidelines while someone else gets beat-up."

Neo just glared, adopting his Fathers thunderous aura, and spoke after choosing his words, "Steve knew what he was getting into, this was his fight and had nothing to do with me. Any man that chooses his own fight needs to finish it. I will help anyone who needs or asks for it, but I don't fight people's battles for them," he paused for a second then spoke as he turned away, "not anymore."

Neo didn't wait to see what the two men would do, and made his way back to his apartment. Later when Bucky asked, Steve would admit that he never got the green-eyed man's name.

The god tried hard to hide his soured mood from the young mutant when Erik came by for more practice. They continued where they had left off for about twenty minutes before Neo was satisfied and let Erik try controlling two objects in the air at once, and then raised the difficulty by adding more metal marbles.

Erik's parents came by to get them when it was time to leave. The young mutant was excited when he saw the train moving above their heads, "Wunderbar! Look, it is amazing," He exclaimed in German before speaking English. It had been up to Neo to teach him English since his parents didn't know it, and Erik was picking it up quickly but preferred German when they were alone.

They saw most of the Expo before they came across Howard Stark showing off his inventions. Erik's eyes were glued to the hovering car, but Neo had noticed a familiar face in the crowd. Standing close to his brunette friend was Steve who seemed to be focused on something else. Following the man's gaze Neo saw his second recruitment office for that day and watched Steve out of the corner of his eye as he walked away. With the small show over Neo was able to guide Erik to the recruitment office next to it as the boy looked at the American posters for the war.

Thanks to his godly hearing, Neo caught the conversation between Steve and his friend "Bucky". He understood where Steve was coming from. It was frightening how he could compare himself to the blonde. Neo remembered being young and naïve and thinking that he was ready to help save the world, at least that was before he found out that Dumbledore had been more concerned with planning his death to fulfill a prophecy and save the Wizarding World; but Harry Potter had still been the hero people needed and Neo could see that Steve would do the same given the chance. Apparently Neo wasn't the only one that found the conversation interesting. The god watched as a man with graying hair and glasses came to a stop a few feet away from Steve and Bucky. The surprised and almost proud look on the spectacled man's face made the god curious as to what he was thinking.

It didn't take long for Bucky to head off and Steve walked to the recruiter's office with the gray-haired man turning to follow him.

"You can feel it can't you," Death asked from his right where she had suddenly appeared, "the wheels of Fate are turning, and it was always Steve Rogers fate to be more than he was born to be."

By the way most men starred at Death, and other women looked on enviously at her well endowed figure, even in her modest time period appropriate black dress; Neo could tell that others could see her, so he spoke quietly aloud.

"He's a hero," Neo stated, "and heroes are often a different breed. But when it comes to Fate I remember two things I've heard before, the first, 'Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them,' and the second, 'I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that fall on them unless they act.' Fate probably says that Steve will be 'more than he was born to be,' but doesn't dictate who he will become, that is up to him."

"Listen to you quoting William Shakespeare and Buddha. Who knew, you had it in you?" She commented playfully. "I personally like what Euripides said about 'the man who sticks it out against his fate shows spirit, but the spirit of a fool.'"

"Then to you, everyone must be a fool," Neo commented flippantly as he following behind Steve.

A curious look showed on the face of the entity as she turned to the young god, "Oh, and how did you come to that conclusion?"

"Man's practice in futility? It is a mortal's fate to die, but every man spends time, no matter how short or long, trying to prevent the inevitable…and, I also remember you and Dad talking about the 'halfwit' who didn't want to believe he was dead and that you 'do not suffer fools long'," he teased Death by trying to mimic her exact words. He heard Death giggle quietly from his right but she didn't speak again.

After his companion went silent Neo paid more attention to their surroundings. They had followed Steve unnoticed, and he was sure that was Death's doing, into the physical exam area of the recruitment office. Neo looked in time to see Steve's smaller figure disappearing behind a curtain out of the corner of his eye. With a nudge from Death, they both moved close enough for Neo's godly hearing to catch anything said behind the curtain.

After taking the blondes height and weight the doctor instructed Steve to sit on the bed and remove his shirt. He had just started unbuttoning his cuffs when a nurse walked into the curtained off room in a slight hurry and whispered in the doctor's ear. Steve wasn't able to hear anything she said but it must have been important, because the doctor quickly left the room after telling the blonde man to stay there.

A feeling of unease had come over Steve after witnessing the nurse and doctor acting strange. When an MP showed up a few seconds later the small man was sure that he had been found out, and he wasn't wrong; but the conversation he had with the man who came in and dismissed the MP was not what he expected, and when Steve saw the 1A stamped on his recruitment form he almost thought he was dreaming. Dr. Abraham Erskine had finally given him the chance he needed.

"That was an interesting conversation," Neo said as he watched Steve leave before his eyes sharply turned to look at Death to see her smiling, "and you're happy; two things that add up to life threatening situations and trouble for me. I'm starting to get that bumping into Steve today wasn't a coincidence." Neo's eyes narrowed in a calculating look when Death's smile turned into a smirk. "What are you planning?" he questioned the mischievous entity.

"I'm planning the end of the world, of course," Death answered serenely before pausing to laugh when she saw Neo's flabbergasted expression. Still smirking she quickly explained, "Oh, not right now, Silly, but I am Death and ending things is my job.

"However, I do admit to having plans involving a certain War that is currently happening. Oh, don't give me that grumpy face, you should be happy. After all you're going to get the chance to meet new people, beat-up some bad guys and see your mate. It will be fantastic!" Death exclaimed cheerily as she hauled him outside the building.

Once outside, he was quickly spotted by Erik and his parents, who had been looking for him. Naturally the youngest of the three was the first to reach him, and Erik immediately asked, "Where did you go?"

"Uhm…," he began to say while turning to look at Death, but the entity had disappeared from sight, but he could still feel the presence of Death close and her humor was bubbling at the edges of his mind, "I was just talking to a friend, but she had to leave."

"Oh, we still have one more thing to see before we leave and Mama would like us to hurry. She was hoping to start cooking dinner before it gets too late. Uhm, would you like to join us?"

Neo smiled; "Sure," he said and watched as a smile grew on the boys face. The Lehnsherr family had invited him to dinner before, but he usually declined because of his impressively large appetite. This time, however, he decided that it would be fine to have dinner with them since he wasn't sure if he would get the chance again; and he could always eat again when he got back to his apartment later. Erik ran off back to his parents with a smile still plastered onto his face.

The area that they hadn't been to yet was close to the exit so they agreed to see it before they left. When they arrived, Neo noticed that the theme of the area was the pursuit of science using natural recourses which made him curious about the person standing in the center exhibit under some kind of glass.

Wondering what the man was all about, Neo used his inherited electrokenesis to sense if it was some kind of life-like dummy. Thanks to his mundane education Neo understood that all human beings had a level of electricity in their bodies while they were alive and for a little while after death. After his power reached the man Neo was even more confused, because whatever was under that glass had electricity running through it but there was way too much to be human. Then Neo remembered the autonomous arachnids in Hephaestus' trap and how they had high amounts of electricity, 'Maybe it's some kind of robot?' he wondered.

Neo searched for a small plaque that might have some information, but there wasn't one. Meandering his way around the circular dais the god's eyes traveled to the large sign above the figure and saw the words, _Phineas Horton Presents: the Synthetic Man_ , and one thing Neo knew; he wasn't going to miss this.

Jakob, Edie, and Erik found him a little while later standing calmly at the front of a group of people. It looked like they were almost ready to start a presentation, so Edie consented when Erik asked to stay to watch. Only a couple of minutes later a man came out and introduced himself as Dr. Phineas Horton, and went on the explain how he was the creator of what they saw before them. The doctor didn't go into detail for the sake of the audience but explained that even thought he could simulate emotions, think, and act on his own the man behind the glass was not human.

The audience was awed at the idea of something so different; until the good doctor revealed another surprising fact about "the Synthetic Man"; when the android was suddenly covered in flames the crowd was terrified and some had started to scramble for the exits. Horton reassured the crowd that they were safe, but Neo's skin was still prickling from the nervous energy in the room.

Standing at the front, Neo was able to see the android in the glass chamber and stared through the fire into the confused blue eyes of the non-organic life-form. The android was watching the crowd but when his eyes finally met Neo's the corners of his mouth twitched up into a hesitant smile, and the god smiled back.

Seeing that the audience was still unsettled Howard Stark, who had been standing to the side, quickly stepped in front of Dr. Horton and flicked the switch to seal the air-tight chamber before he addressed the crowd, "That was certainly a fiery introduction, wasn't it Ladies and Gentleman? One thing for sure, this guy can get really fired up, and we definitely know who to ask for a light." The nervous chuckles from the audience subsided at the same rate that the flames died out, and Howard continued, "So, how about a big round of applause for Dr. Horton and his creation? Thank you for showing us such an illuminating discovery, Doctor, but it looks like the next demonstration is ready. So for those who don't want to miss it, you may want to start heading over to the _New Inventions for the Home_ exhibit."

No one had to be told twice it seemed, the crowd had quickly dispersed, and only the two scientists, Jakob, Edie, Erik and Neo remained. The family of three would have left with everyone else, but had stayed when they saw the young god was only standing about ten feet away from the stage with an intrigued expression.

Howard noticed the four remaining people, but dismissed them when he saw that they were too far away to hear him before he turned on Phineas. "You told me that your invention had an unforeseen by-product but that it was safe. I don't think you realize what you've created here, Doc. That," he said pointing a finger at the android, "isn't what I would call safe. Your energy source is obviously volatile, which means that we're probably lucky it didn't blow up!" the man's words were like a verbal punch to the face and Phineas visibly flinched, but Howard continued, "I hate to say this as an inventor, but it may be better for everyone, if you destroy that thing. Sometimes starting over is the only way to fix a mistake. You need to think about what you started out to accomplish, because I don't think this was it."

The other man didn't say anything for a few minutes as he stared at the chairs that had held a frightened audience. He had created a synthetic life-form because he wanted to be the first to do it; to prove that he was the only one smart enough to create a life-like android. Oh sure, there were a few noble endeavors he could note for the public, like expanding mankind's horizons, but he wanted the notoriety too. All of the fame and glory would have been his, but the way people reacted to his creations unique condition had shown him that he had a lot more work ahead of him. The android was supposed to be a synthetic "human being", but he could admit that he hadn't met anyone who could set themselves on fire. Phineas finally acknowledged Howard with a nod before turning and looking at his creation, "Maybe you're right."

Neo hadn't bothered to hide the fact that he was eaves dropping from the Lehnsherr family, and he didn't hide the appalled look that twisted his face.

"What is it?" Jakob finally asked when his curiosity got the best of him.

The question distracted him from the rest of the two inventors conversation, "They are planning to destroy him," Neo hissed angrily.

"How, when the fire didn't even hurt it?" Erik asked.

Jakob nodded in thought, "Hmm, maybe they are just going to use the parts to create another one."

Neo's stomach rolled, "That's disturbing. Don't you understand what you're saying?" he asked the family who all looked at him blankly. "He's alive. I don't know how but I could see it in his eyes. The doctor said that the android could **feel** and if they destroy him they will be **killing** him. Human or not, that man is a living being and to destroy him is **murder**."

Jakob looked taken aback at the thought, but he bristled at being rebuked by someone younger than him and tried to defend himself, "But, it is a machine it is only mimicking life."

"Humans and animals learn what emotions are by watching others of their species, they mimic, so are you trying to tell me that it's okay to kill a baby if it hasn't learned emotions beyond curiosity," Neo said bitingly. After a few moments of silence, remorse struck the god as he remembered who he was talking to, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that, but I view Life like I view Death, they are the beginning and end of this Universe and should be respected."

" _Awe, you do love me_ ," Death teased him through there bond.

'I wouldn't go that far,' he thought wryly.

Death's amusement was obvious as a bubbling sensation passed through their connection. There was an actual chuckle before she spoke, " _Oh, you know you do, but we can talk about that later. Right now, you need to go talk that scientist into giving you his creation._ "

'Wait, can you run that by me again. You want me to do what exactly?'

" _Pretend you work for some company interested in his research and I'll do the rest. I don't have time for those silly scientists to pull their heads out of their…backsides, so that he will be ready in time. Now go get him, please._ "

'Time for what?' Neo thought before he felt an invisible hand push him between the shoulder blades and he almost smacked right into Howard Stark.

"Oh! Excuse me," the god said as he regained his footing, "I'm sorry."

Howard just smiled his classic showman's grin, "It's not a problem. Happens all the time, mostly with women, but," He paused as his eyes scanned Neo from head to toe and the genius' eyes lit with a spark that Neo recognized as intrigue, "…I am finding it hard to complain."

Mind blank, Neo could only watch as Howard walked away. When he was finally able to piece together a coherent thought all he could think was, 'What the…please tell me that I did not just get hit on by my mates father?' Death's peals of laughter sounded in his head, and Neo felt her smug amusement. At first, he thought that her glee was a little extreme, before he came to a realization, 'Odin's hairy sagging cheeks…you planned that!'

" _Yes, yes I did,_ " her smug tone rang in his mind, " _Oh relax Howard is harmless, and it will be useful for him to recognize you later, but if he becomes a pain I know someone that will set him straight. Now, will you please go get the android?_ "

'We are so talking about this later,' he seethed as he made his way to Dr. Horton.

" _Sure we are_."

Neo was still miffed when he reached Phineas but he schooled his face before he got the doctor's attention, "Good evening, Doctor, if I could have a moment of your time I believe I have a solution to your problems."

"What do you mean?" the doctor asked puzzled.

"I was able to catch the conversation between you and Mr. Stark just now, and I would like to offer my assistance. I have a generous employer," at those words Neo could hear Death laugh, "that wishes to fund your research and help you dispose of your prototype if that is what you wish. As your contracted sponsor, all funding for the first two years will be guaranteed as long as you are working on developing your synthetic technology. After that, it is completely your choice to continue working with us or not. We are also willing to reimburse you if you still desire to dispose of your current creation, by offering you twice the amount that you have spent on developing your prototype."

" _Ooh, listen to you, smooth talker._ "

'Money talks, especially when it comes to scientists that think they are on the cusp of a major breakthrough. I'm sad to say, most of Man's actions can be attributed to three things,' Neo thought.

Death's next words were spoken in a grave tone, " _God, gold and glory_."

'Yes, a lesson I learned well in my previous life,' he acknowledged cynically.

"This…is all so sudden," Horton said. His mind altered between considering the possibilities, and wondering what kind of a devil he would be selling his soul to if he agreed to such a generous offer, "I will need time to think about it, and I would like to meet this 'employer' of yours."

"Unfortunately, my employer, who is unavailable at present, is also very impatient and will be withdrawing the offer if I leave here empty-handed. So, I must insist on an answer now," the god said respectfully, while his tone was firm.

The words had their intended effect, and Horton felt backed into a corner. On one hand the offer was too good to be true, but on the other hand he doubted he would ever get this kind of chance again. Reaching a decision he said, "All right…I'm in."

"That's good to hear," Neo said as he gave a charming smile. Looking over Horton's shoulder he saw two large men in work overalls coming toward them with a hand cart big enough for the glass tube and started loading the android.

" _Don't worry, Master,_ " Death said calmly, " _They are just for show, but I will be taking the android from here. Oh! I almost forgot, you promised the good doctor a job, didn't you? Check the left inside pocket of your jacket._ "

Reaching into his jacket he pulled out a business card and handed it over, "This is the number to call if you need to get in touch with us, but don't worry Doctor, you will be contacted tomorrow with more details."

"I've never heard of Eternia Corp. before," the doctor said after glancing at the card.

Neo smirked, "Not many have, yet."

 ***Break***

Two days later, a hard rap of knuckles on Neo's door interrupted Erik's training. They both left the training room and Neo went to answer the door, but not before casting a disillusionment charm at the training room door. Erik looked surprised for a moment after seeing the door disappear but his attention was quickly directed to the door when he heard Neo great his guest.

Neo opened the door and got his first look at his guest. Standing in the hallway outside of his apartment was a tall, well-built older man with an ageless face, emerald-green eyes and white hair shaped in a crew cut; he was wearing a black, perfectly tailored, starched and pressed, business suit and jacket, with a gleaming white dress shirt and black tie; the black dress shoes the man wore were polished to a ideal shine and he carried a black leather briefcase. If Neo had to use one word to describe the person at his door, it would be immaculate.

The gods mind quickly filled with thoughts ranging from paranoid to simply curious. Then his thoughts stuttered when he realized the man had a familiar presence, and not just any presence, the man felt exactly like Death. That was when Neo recognized amusement seeping through his bond with Death. Neo quickly confirmed his suspicions when he followed the connection only for it to stop were the man stood.

He finally addressed the changed visage of Death, "This is new," Neo said motioning Death inside, "I don't remember you using the door before."

The roguish grin Death gave him revealed perfect white teeth, "I thought I would try something different," the entity responded before walking over to the couch to take a seat.

Neo couldn't help but scoffed, "So…to what do I owe the pleasure of having you here?"

Opening up the briefcase Death handed Neo a stack of folders before speaking, "…Mostly business, I realize I've left you in the dark for the last couple of days, so I just wanted to fill you in on things. The first thing I should mention is that the android is in good hands. I took the android to the old blacksmith you met while you were in New York and he is confident that he will be finished by this evening, which will be just in time for the final preparations before you join your new team."

"What new team?" Neo asked as his eyebrows furrowed together tightly.

"Open the file marked Special Emergency Response Force," after Neo opened the file and began looking over the first page, Death continued, "That file details the coordinated effort between a clandestine-group and the Allied Forces, to create a new division that was originally going to be called the Weapon Plus Program, but the head of the group was discovered to have a hidden agenda and has since been replaced. The newly dubbed S.E.R.F.'s chief purpose is to form a group capable of handling what we classify as 'special emergencies'. Designated as a non-military private task force the S.E.R.F. handles global threats, while specializing in counter terrorism and counterintelligence. (Think G.I. Joe, or SHIELD with private funding) However, unlike the Weapon Plus Program, all S.E.R.F. research and experiments are to be conducted under a strict moral and ethical code. The S.E.R.F. has been given jurisdiction to operate in all of the Allied Countries but is not subject to their governments, instead the S.E.R.F. answers directly to the top-secret group that founded it.

"There are six individuals who are being considered for the team as of right now, one of which is a candidate for a current project. You should have dossiers on all of them. Everyone except the team leader, of course."

"Oh, yeah, and why is that? Because, I'm pretty sure I shouldn't have these files at all," Neo questioned, as he started to flip through the different sets of documents.

Death's lips leisurely curled into a grin, "All team leaders are allowed access to their team's files and I didn't think you needed information on yourself."

Neo had to stop for a minute, because he couldn't be sure that what he had just heard and was seeing were real. Slowly he admitted that, yes Death had in a round-about way said he was going to be the team leader of some top-secret group, and yes the word printed on the folder he was currently holding was " _Wolverine_ ". The absurdity of what Death was proposing struck him as extremely risky, 'I should have known that immoral beings were prone to going senile, the signs were right there, just look at Odin.'

The young god gave the being a blank stare and was going to ask if Death was serious, but what came out was, "Do you practice at being this barmy or does it just come naturally?"

He received a serene smile, "That's a cosmic joke, but I warn you, the punch line is killer…Anyway, you shouldn't be complaining, you'll be back in your own time before you know it. This is just a little 'project' that I've set up for later. Besides your 'Wolverine' isn't the only member that will surprise you."

When Neo quirked an eyebrow questioningly Death nodded at the rest of the folders in his lap. Closing James Howlett's folder he opened the second labeled " _Sabertooth_ " and saw a picture of Victor Howlett which didn't shock him so he moved on to the next. The third file had " _The Human Torch_ " printed across the outside, when he opened it he saw the name Jim Hammond with a picture of the android from the Stark Expo. The next folder had " _Magneto_ " printed on it and when he opened it Neo saw a recent photo of Erik inside, which was slightly unexpected with his lack of training but after putting a few things together Neo figured this had always been a part of Death's plan. Neo took note of the words " _Captain America_ " before opening the last folder. He couldn't help but chuckle as he stared down at the picture of Steve.

"That poor man has no idea what he's in for," Neo said, as he thought about how Death's other schemes had worked out.

"No, he doesn't, but I think he can handle it." Death reached into the briefcase again and pulled out another set of papers, "Inside are documents and identification granting access to resources and personnel provided by the Allied Forces. Your unit will be coordinating with Colonel Chester Phillips of the Strategic Scientific Reserve on missions, and he will be helping you train your team. He's a die-hard patriot and a hard-ass, but he means well and cares about his men enough to train them properly. I also thought you would like to know that Howard Stark is under contract to head-up the Super Soldier program, which is an S.E.R.F. operation that was contracted by the U.S. government. The S.S.R. will be providing the man power while Howard Stark and Doctor Abraham Erskine provide the brain work."

"Sounds like a lot of people are in the know when the S.E.R.F. is supposed to be a secret group," Neo commented.

"Only the President knows that the Super Soldier program is an S.E.R.F. operation. The United States didn't have the funding for the program so they agreed to provide the work force needed while the S.E.R.F. funded things. The contract states that the S.E.R.F. will use the outcome of the program to aid in the War effort, but once the War is over sole control over the Super Soldier program will revert to the S.E.R.F."

"So…the Special Emergency Response Force is a mercenary group?"

"More like a private police force that holds contracts with World Governments. Try not to over think it," Death said while giving a shrug, "Besides, we need to move on so you can start packing."

"Packing? I've only been here a few weeks!" the young god exclaimed while giving Death an annoyed look that received a blank stare in return. With a huff Neo finally said, "…bugger it all, where am I going now?"

"Camp Lehigh."

Death left after announcing the name of the training camp and giving Neo all he needed to teleport them directly there. Erik had the night to spend with his parents before he said goodbye the next morning, because Death had left strict instructions for them to leave at seven o'clock. Neo was surprised that Erik's parents agreed to let him leave in the end, but the boy was determined to not take no for an answer while promising that he would write. With plenty of tears and well-wishes Erik and Neo left the next morning.

Erik was a little woozy after teleporting all the way to the military camp, so Neo gave the younger boy time to catch his breath before they went to the check point and showed there I.D.'s to the soldier on duty. Then they were lead to their temporary accommodations. The S.E.R.F. team had been given a six man barrack but would be in training with the rest of the Super Soldier volunteer candidates. They had to meet the rest of their group on the training grounds in thirty minutes, so they stowed their belongings in their lockers and changed their clothes.

Neo didn't have to wear a uniform but he did put on a beige button shirt over his white t-shirt and beige slacks. He wore his jacket and boots while his braces and locket wear hidden under his dress shirt, it almost reminded him of a treasure-hunter character from a movie. The god had to stifle a laugh when he glanced at Erik who had just finished putting on his training fatigues. The younger boy was a size too small for them and looked like he was playing dress-up.

The two made it to the training grounds with ten minutes to spare and Erik quickly got into formation. Neo scanned the line from one end to the other quickly spotting James and Victor, who looked almost bored as they stood on the far end. Steve was closer to Neo and seemed as curious as the other new recruits.

Neo stood watching, unnoticed thanks to his magic, as Agent Carter called the men to attention and started explaining her job. He laughed when one of the men mouthed off and the red-head decked him. Colonel Phillips arrived in time to see Gilmore Hodge land on his butt, and the Colonel's speech was interesting to watch since the older man looked pained when he saw Steve.

A giggle came from Neo's left when Phillips mentioned escorting Hitler to the "Gates of Hell", and he looked to see Death standing next to him in her usual form.

Seeing him looking at her Death giggled again, "Sorry, it's just funny because Hitler is a Son of Hades, but every demigod in this time knows that. By the way, shouldn't you introduce yourself?" with those final words Death seemed to vanish.

After cancelling the illusion Neo made his move, "Rousing speech, Colonel Phillips," he commented with a smirk as he stopped next to the red head woman, "and an impressive right, Agent Carter."

Peggy turned and examined the new man from head to toe, "Thank you…" she got out before Phillips interrupted her.

"Who are you and what are you doing on my Army base?" the old soldier asked briskly.

Wanting to look professional Neo stopped himself from rolling his eyes at the expected reaction, "S.E.R.F. team leader, and it is a pleasure to meet you too, Colonel."

"Hell, I thought it was a joke when I heard you were coming," the older man said. "What's your name?"

'Forsooth? Do mortal men dare to make demands of the gods, 'tis blasphemy,' Neo thought sarcastically as he frowned, the words reminded him of something his father would say.

Neo had been weighing the pros and cons of using his real name since he had come to the past, and he wasn't even close to a decision yet. A voice suddenly took his attention away from his personal catch-22.

"The young master's family saw it fit to name him Neo," Elric said while watching Neo's eyes widen in surprise when the god saw him, "Please excuse my lateness, sir, The 'travel time' was longer than expected, but I was able to pick up Mr. Hammond. I also come bearing gifts from Lady Death."

The raven-haired man chuffed in amusement, "Well, you came at just the right 'time' anyway," he commented before asking, "How is my favorite Methuselah?" Then his eyes wondering over the spirit's shoulder, and Neo found a familiar looking face with blue eyes and blonde hair.

"Cheerfully optimistic, as always," the Spirit said moving to stand behind Neo's shoulder. "The lady has a busy schedule, as of late, which made it impossible for her to come, at this time, but she sends her regards and looks forward to seeing you…soon."

Neo sighed, "Just another way of saying she plans to cause trouble sometime in the near future." The god directs his attention to the second new comer, "Stand with the others, Mr. Hammond. I will be speaking to you before you begin training." Neo then let his gaze trail over the assembled men as he started speaking to them, "Gentlemen, as I briefly explained to Colonel Phillips, I am the S.E.R.F. team leader. You have all been chosen to participate in the project based on qualities that some believe will be beneficial to the program's success. During this evaluation period you will be judged on your performance, but ultimately on how well you work with the current members of my team. Once the first candidate for the program has been chosen that individual will be joining my team as the sixth member. Any questions?"

"I have a question," Steve said then seemed a little confused before finishing, "…sir."

"Sir is fine, though everyone is welcome to use my name. What is your question?"

"No one mentioned the S.E.R.F. before, is it a new regiment, sir?"

"Elric," Neo said looking at the white-haired being.

That one word and look was all it took, "The Allied Forces contracted a private group that formed a task force called the Special Emergency Response Force in order to aid in the War. While working as an S.E.R.F. operative any member of the military is still in service to their respective country, they will simply be acting as reinforcements under orders from the S.E.R.F. However, all non-military members, once a part of the S.E.R.F., are only under the authority of the S.E.R.F. itself."

"Does that answer your question?" Neo asked, from his spot behind Steve.

The short blonde jumped when he heard the voice coming from behind him. Everyone had been paying close attention when Elric was speaking, so most of them were surprised to see that Neo had moved.

James and Victor, who were usually aware of their surroundings, noticed that the man had not been idle. James was especially aware of the raven haired man who had immediately caught his attention. The alluring smell that made his skin prickle and his inner beast purr could only be coming from the young green-eyed man. The feral man swore that tantalizing scent had been haunting him all his life and was always slightly out of reach, but now he was finding it difficult not to seize the perfect creature standing in front of him and burry his nose into that olive skinned throat. Whoever that kid was, he was the most gorgeous thing James had ever laid eyes on. Inside, his whole being growled in pleasure and in the recesses of his mind he could hear his animal-side purr, ' _Beautiful. Mine._ '

Neo wasn't unaware to his mate's attention and it was getting hard to ignore, as Logan's feral aura pulsed with a primal lust to claim its mate. Focusing on his surroundings he saw that the group was getting over how fast he had moved.

"I believe it is time to start the training for today, don't you think so Colonel?" he asked innocently while fully aware that he was the cause of the delay, "Mr. Hammond will stay as I requested."

Phillips eyed Neo for a few minutes to show that things were done on his time and schedule, not the younger man's, "Sergeant Duffy, get these men moving!" the colonel barked.

"You heard the Colonel, let's go, move it, move it!" the sergeant yelled as he directed the mean toward the climbing ropes. Agent Carter and the Colonel followed after.

Neo's eyes followed the retreating figures for a few seconds, with Elric at his side, and then he focused on the android. A friendly smile formed lopsidedly on his face as he held out is hand to the synthetic, "I can see that you've got your powers under control. It's nice to meet you without a sheet of glass in the way."

"Yes," the android spoke in a friendly voice while returning the handshake, then smiled and showed perfectly straight, white teeth, "I remember you. You saved me, thank you."

"I wasn't going to let them destroy you. Men, with all their faults, don't have the right to destroy a living being like you simply because you are more special than they wanted you to be. But, you are free now, and all they can hope for is that you don't hold a grudge," Neo gave a small chuckle to keep the conversation light, "So, Jim Hammond, was it? That's not a bad name, did you choose it yourself?"

"No," the Android admitted with a strange look on his face, "Death suggested it."

'That explains the strange look, most people wouldn't know how to react when they meet 'The Death', and I guess androids are no exception,' the god thought. Neo also thought that if people knew about Death's happy demeanor it would ruin the whole mysterious-entity-of-death image with the cloak and scythe motif, 'Who came up with that idea anyway? I can bet his afterlife is not a happy one.'

"It wasn't easy to remind myself that such a beautiful woman was Death, at first, but then Hephaestus (which was another surprise) made her angry and I don't think I will ever forget that feeling. I am an android, but I can honestly say that I feared for my soul."

"Well, if Death can't make you fear for your soul, then who can?" Neo let them lapse into silence and started to trail after the group of candidates and S.E.R.F. operatives, with his tall white-haired butler and the android behind him, "But seriously, this world could use you, especially right now. I'm glad to have you on my team, Jim."

"Thank you, sir."

"No problem," he said as they got to the start of the obstacle course and saw everyone get ready to start after going over what obstacles they would be going through.

"Get a move on!" Sgt. Duffy yelled, and all of the men started scrambling up the climbing ropes.

Jim was about to go as well, but Neo stopped the android with a hand on his shoulder, "Wait, I would like to test your skills," Neo said as he watched the other men laugh at Steve who had somehow gotten caught in the ropes upside down, "If my files are right you should have super-human (or above human) strength, agility and endurance, so I want you to wait a little while and then see if you can beat everyone to the finish point. I'll be timing you, so try to go as fast as you can without using your powers. Alright," he said as he saw Steve make it over the top a little while later, "Go!"

The obstacle course looped back around to that side of the field so Neo only had to walk about ten feet to the finish line, and then he waited with Colonel Philips as Sergeant Duffy and Agent Carter walked along the course evaluating individual times. In the afternoon they would be working on maintaining equipment and weapons training. The schedules would alternate occasionally and they would eventually start training in other areas, like strategy and survival skills but that would come later. The first week would be spent on seeing what the men could and couldn't do physically, after that it was a matter of improving what they could do and teaching them how to do the things they couldn't.

The god wasn't surprised to see three of his team members coming down the last stretch of the obstacle course far ahead of Phillips soldiers. One look at the Colonel showed that he was less than happy about this outcome. James, Victor and Jim were neck-and-neck as they crossed the finish, and the private that was standing next to Phillips took down their times after he was done staring at his stopwatch. Neo almost laughed when the Colonel looked at the clipboard, and he wonder if the man would get annoyed at having to train his team since they would always be better than normal men. 'He's going to have a heart attack when he finds out they already chose Steve for the Super-soldier candidate.'

"Well done," the raven-haired leader commented as the three men came closer. "Do you have anything else scheduled after this, Colonel?"

The older man didn't even look at the god this time and pretended to be engrossed in the times his men were getting as they finally passed the finish. A smirk danced across his lips as he tried to hold in his amusement, but he looked back at his team to see that they were amused by the Colonel's instant dislike of Neo.

"You have a remarkable talent for getting on ones nerves, sir," Elric joked in his usual dry manner.

Neo shrugged, "Men like the colonel are easy targets. They don't accept anyone that hasn't proven themselves first. It is just a matter of time."

Erik crossed the finish line after most of the soldiers, but he wasn't alone. At one point Erik saw that the small man named Rogers was honestly struggling. As the German boy watched the other soldiers run ahead Erik got angry. He remembered hearing a fraise at the Expo while they were at the War exhibit, something like 'never leave a man behind', so he decided to help the man. After almost carrying the other across the finish line, the fifteen year-old looked up to see the proud smile shining on Neo's face.

"Excellent job, Mr. Lehnsherr and Mr. Rogers, it looks like we have the right men to win this war after all," the god said when they stopped in front of him. A snigger drew the god's attention and Neo glared daggers at the man, the same one who had insulted Agent Carter, "Why don't you share the joke, Mr. Hodge?"

Hodge had enough sense to feel afraid, but he was too dumb to keep his mouth shut, "The only thing they would win is a metal for being the easiest targets."

"And yet, I can already see your fate will be worse than theirs," Neo said darkly as his eyes seemed to glow, "If the three of you were shot and laying in a trench dying, who do you think your fellow soldiers would save first? The boy who wouldn't leave a man behind, the man who despite his disadvantages is willing to do his part for his country, or _you_ , the man who strives to leave his fellow soldiers in the dust and then laughs without ever trying to lend a hand. There is no honor or glory for men like you, _Mr. Hodge_ , only a lonely life and a cold death, so I suggest you change your attitude before you insult one of the men that will save your life one day." The words had sent chills up Hodge's spine, and the other men noticed a strange drop in temperature while the Sun was still beating down on them.

"You are very frightening when you do that," Erik whispered so quietly in German that only Steve and Neo heard him. The blonde was surprised to hear the language but he remembered that the boy hadn't talked yet. The words made Neo smile the toothy grin he had picked-up from Magnus, and one of the recruits actually whimpered.

"Alright, that's enough sitting on your thumbs," Phillips barked, "you are all going to run the course until I see an improvement, and I don't want to see anyone carrying someone over the finish line. Everyone is going to pull their own weight or they are leaving on the next bus out of here. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!" was the answer that was shouted from the men. The recruits immediately started running to the starting line while Steve lagged behind in the rear, but everyone on Neo's team glanced at him.

With a non-committal shrug Neo turned to the three that had been the first to cross the line, "You might as well show them how it's done. We wouldn't want them to get hurt, would we?" Victor and James grinned before the three took off to run the course again. Neo looked at Eric, "I'm not expecting you to be as fast as them, but you need to push yourself so that you can get better, just remember that a strong body is only half as important as strong mind. I want you to pick out the fastest way over the obstacles and what paths to avoid. I will be heading the training tomorrow and it will be nothing compared to this, so don't slack off, you're better than that, now go."

Neo watched and was happy to see Erik give the climbing ropes a critical once over before taking the side that would drop down closer to the next obstacle cutting some seconds off his time.

That night, Neo went to sleep listening to the symphony of Erik's pen dragging across paper, the loud snoring coming from Victor, and the flipping of pages from Jim's bunk.

 ***Break***

He had spent most of the night after dinner setting up a training course that was challenging but safe. The course had been divided into three stages, and each one was different and more difficult than the last. He had drawn ideas from his time at Hogwarts and Camp Half-Blood, while delightfully forgetting that Chiron and Magnum were absolutely ruthless in their training. If he could complete Chiron's obstacle course after only a few tries than the soldiers would get through it…eventually.

"This course was designed to challenge my team, and to be honest I don't expect anyone to make it to the finish line the first time. That being said, I wish you the best of luck while warning you to think before you act and keep both eyes open, because while nothing will kill or seriously injure you, it will most definitely hurt. That's why I will be keeping my eye on everything," Neo said the next morning before training, "You will need to remember one very important thing if you want to finish this course; the fastest way between two points is a straight line."

A single ten foot wooden pole marked the starting point. The beginning of the course seemed like a normal quarter mile path with trees on either side, but it was filled with pitfalls at random points that were hidden under illusions, and hidden platforms in the trees that would through nets down from above.

In hindsight (and almost two hours later), maybe he shouldn't have decided to make the course self-changing like the stair cases at Hogwarts. Neo had made sure that the changes were slow and unnoticeable, but some of the men tried to memories the course and walked into a trap that hadn't been there an hour before. Almost half of the men got caught in the pitfalls and nets.

Neo had seen Erik follow James and Victor through the first quarter mile until the path ended. The two feral mutants were good trackers and hunters, and combined with their senses and reflexes they easily avoided the traps.

The second part of the course was a forested area where the men would have to avoid tripwires and projectiles, the rubber ball tipped arrows had been hidden like the net launchers but the faster soldiers were able to dodge. Still, not one of the human soldiers was able to make it over a fourth of the way through the second part.

The young god had been counting on Victor and James to making it to the next part. That is why Neo had taken the time to plant a weed that he remembered was able to impair a werewolf's sense of smell for almost five hours, and "natural tripwires", in the form of non-lethal (but highly effective) devils snare, under shady trees around the last half of the second part of the course. The young god planted them thinking that if it worked on werewolves it would work on the brothers. Neo had to make sure to lay down a magical garden barrier that would stop the spores from the plants spreading beyond the second phase of the course; and if anyone asked, the god would admit that the barrier spell had been Elric's idea and the spirit had helped him comb through the books he had received from Hecate to find the spell.

The three mutants were caught by the devil's snare, and the brothers had become so angry that they were almost in a feral rage when Neo found them.

Jim made it to the third part of the course. Thanks to his control over his fire he was able to burn away the devil's snare, but was not able to get past the maze that was the final obstacle. The maze had one trick that would get you through; if you traveled straight ahead you would get to the other side without a problem, but if you tried to turn down a path you wouldn't be able to get out and it was impossible to make it back to the middle once you took a turn. Neo used his magic to find the android and then teleported them out of the maze.

The second time everyone ran the course the results were mostly the same, with the exception of the four members of Neo's team. Erik, Victor and James climbed the trees and jumped from branch to branch. The older mutants kept an eye out for the boy and saw when he fell from a high branch. Erik had seen the ground getting closer as he fell and flung his arms out reflexively while closing his eyes. When he didn't feel the impact a minute later Erik looked and found himself hovering above the ground. He didn't have time to really think about it before Victor grabbed him around the waist and pulled him back into the trees. Once the three got to the maze, the two feral mutants realized that they couldn't smell anything but the weed from the forest. It was James who remembered what Neo had said, after Victor sarcastically commented how it would be nice to have a line showing which way to go, then he suggested that they head in a straight line. The other two just shrugged, after all it was a maze, so the idea would either work or they would get lost like they would have anyway.

Neo wasn't too surprised when Erik led their small group to the finish point where the god stood next to another ten-foot wooden pole.

When Jim ran the course a second time he got caught in the maze again. After getting angry enough that he suddenly burst into flames, the android discovered that he could fly due to the heat affecting the air around him. With his newly discovered ability he flew over the maze and landed on the other side with the rest of his team. It was coincidence that no one else but the S.E.R.F. members were there to see him on fire; because Agent Carter and Sgt. Duffy had both chosen to walk the side of the course and watch the soldiers while Colonel Phillips had been called into a last minute meeting that morning.

The team of five had just made it back to the starting point to join the others when Neo heard what the soldiers where saying.

"There's no way to get through that thing."

"I made it farther than all of you, and if that arrow hadn't hit me in the back of the head I would have finished."

"This course is stupid anyway. Why should we be training here when there was already another course?"

"Because gentlemen you needed a challenge," Neo said suddenly, startling the soldiers who had their backs turned to him, "The other course was designed for physical training and building muscle, this course is designed to train your minds. As long as a man has a brain, and uses it, he can reach the end."

The soldiers started talking all at once and shouting arguments at the green-eyed god.

Raising a hand to quiet everyone Neo continued to speak, "Is this the American Army's best? You are acting like spoiled children. Any complaints are pointless anyway, after today you will not use this course again. I will be dismantling the course immediately."

"I think they could get it with time. You don't need to be so hasty," Peggy said trying to stop Neo from making what she thought was a rash decision.

"Agent Carter, this was a mental exercise that everyone has failed to understand, even my own team didn't figure it out, and I gave the answer before we started. This course wasn't difficult and everyone could have reached the end, if they had listened to me."

"It wasn't that easy!" a soldier protested.

Neo laughed and shook his head, "You're wrong, it was too easy and I was almost afraid that it wouldn't be a challenge. Doesn't anyone remember what I said?"

"You told them they wouldn't make it, which was a real boost to their confidence," Duffy said.

"Erik, what was the one important thing I said would help you get to the finish?" the god asked the young mutant.

Erik glanced around nervously, "You said that the fastest way between two points was a straight line."

The green eyes of the young god gave the soldiers an annoyed look, "Now that Erik has reminded everyone, who is brave enough to try again?" A pregnant silence settled after he asked the question.

"I'll do it," Steve said and stepped in front of the other men.

Perfect lips curled into a smile as Neo waved the small man over, "Alright, Steve. This is the starting point," he said as he moved Steve into position in front of the wood pole, "and there is the finish line. Now, what did I say? How do you reach the finish line?"

Blonde brows furrowed together for a minute until Steve's face morphed into a look of comprehension, "A straight line," he whispered to himself before he started walking forward.

Out of the corner of his eye Neo saw Erik looking at him, when he turned his head Neo was hit full blast with puppy dog eyes before Erik's gaze flicked to Steve and back. With a shrug he replied, "Go on, and take this with you," then he handed the grey-eyed teen his stop watch that he had started when Steve began.

More than a little enthusiastic to see the man reach the finish line, Erik took the trainers path to the finish line, and the other men followed when they noticed where he was going.

Agent Carter had also gone to the end of the course to see if Steve would make it. There were mixed feelings from the soldiers when Steve came out safely from the maze, but Peggy felt proud of the man. After lunch the woman was happy to report to the Colonel that Steve was the only one besides Neo's team to make it to the finish line. Of course Phillips was surprised, but once Peggy explained the trick to the course and how none of the other soldiers were brave enough to try a third time, he gained some respect for Steve Rogers.

Colonel Phillips was in charge of training after that, which the men were not so secretly happy about. In the evening before bed, Neo helped Erik train his powers and they were both excited to be able to add flight practice to their agenda. Erik learned that his ability wasn't just moving metal objects but manipulating magnetic fields and by changing the magnetic polarity of the area around him he could fly.

James and Victor seemed to be act as a part of Neo's team when it came to following orders, but for some reason the god rarely got the chance to speak with them and he was starting to wonder if that was on purpose.

Jim was enjoying his time at the base. He was testing his limits and experimenting on controlling his powers. At night the android would sit in his bunk and read the books that the Army let their soldiers borrow. But the best part for him was that he was never treated as anything but human, even though his team leader knew what he was.

Dr. Erskine had met the other team that would be working with the S.S.R. and he could tell that each man was more than he appeared. He knew about the android that Dr. Horton had created since he had seen it at the Stark Expo. The doctor was almost disappointed to see something so amazing acting so normal, but he could see the man that had been created from the machine and accepted that Jim Hammond was everything that being human implied. The strangest enigma among the S.E.R.F. team was their leader. Abraham couldn't get his hands on any information about "Neo" and the man never revealed his last name either, but for some reason the soldiers seemed to respect and fear him in equal measure. Then there was the man's strange butler, and even less was known about him.

The doctor was distracted as he headed to the Mess Hall that morning, so he didn't notice the white haired woman that had been standing on the side of the path until she spoke.

"Excuse me! Do you know where I can find my friend?" she asked sweetly.

Abraham found himself doing a double-take, and then he was staring at her. She had the face of an angel, shining white hair and glowing green eyes, the same shade of green as a certain mystery man. The black day-dress and jacket she wore was made for the fabulously wealthy but its beauty was nothing compared to the woman wearing it.

Death tilted her head cutely and she looked curious, "Is something wrong?"

Shaking himself out of his daze, the doctor cleared his throat and wet his suddenly dry lips before he could speak, "No, nothing is wrong. Who did you say you were looking for, Miss?"

"My friend, his name is Neo. It is a little last minute so I didn't get the chance to tell him I was coming, but the men at the gate told me he should be having breakfast. Do you know the way?" she said making sure to never tell a lie. Death had experience working with humans and coming in through the front gate was nice sometimes, she just hated having to be lead around like she didn't already know the way.

"Yes, it's that way. I was going there myself. Why don't I show you?" he said politely turning it the direction of the food Hall again, and showing the girl the right way.

Neo felt Death's presence before he saw her. A silence slowly fell over the room as the soldiers settling down to breakfast noticed their attractive guest. Death didn't let the attention distract her as she made her way to Neo with a bright smile on her face.

Elric, who was standing beside the young god as he relayed the schedule for the day like he had been doing since he arrived, was the first to great Death, "Hello, Lady Death, it is a lovely surprise to see you this morning. Will you be staying long?"

Death let out a small giggle before she said, "I'm not sure yet, Elric, I had to stop by for several reasons today, so we will just have to see."

"So you didn't stop by just to cause me trouble," Neo joked, "I don't know if I should be happy that I won't be your only target or sad that it took more than wanting to see me for you to visit."

A chiming laugh sounded, "Business first," she said and raised her hand to show she had been carrying a file, "and this may take a while."

Neo set down the teacup he had still been holding, giving up on relaxing before training. "Elric, make sure that the colonel knows I won't be able to make it to the meeting this morning. Then come find me as soon as you are done."

"Yes, sir," the spirit quickly replied before he left.

"Come on," the god said as he stood and pushed his chair in, "I know some place we can talk."

Death wrapped her arms around his elbow as he led them out of the Mess Hall. She giggled again, after glancing quickly over Neo's shoulder, "It seems someone is jealous," she mentioned as she looked away from a certain feral mutant.

The young god didn't realize who Death was talking about and mistook her meaning, and replied, "With the way everyone was staring at you, I'm sure it's more than one."

James eyes were almost completely feral red as he watched the two leave and a low growl had started coming from his chest. Sitting beside his brother Victor noticed the reaction and smirked, "Well it's about time I saw you look like that over a girl," he nudged his brother, "I was starting to get worried that you hit your head one too many times, and you don't have bad taste either."

James didn't bother correcting his brother, and instead tried to glare at the white haired woman through the wall. He had been trying to get himself under control by creating distance between him and the completely captivating green-eyed man, who was single-handedly the most beautiful thing on the planet. He could feel his instincts driving him to follow them, and he barely stopped himself. He wasn't going to mess up his chances by suddenly acting like a stocker, but he realized that his feelings were too strong to ignore and he should do something before he accidently killed someone for simply touching the raven haired man. He never even thought about what he would do if the other man wasn't attracted to him; it just never crossed his mind.

It wasn't a long trip to the carefully warded area that Neo and Erik used for training, and once they got there Death handed him the folder she had been carrying before explaining what was inside, "I had been hoping that it wouldn't happen in this time, but Hydra was able to make contact with Asgard and asked the gods for aid in the War. Thor is here on Earth and is working with the Nazis. The good news is that he hasn't done anything, yet, so I figured I would give you the chance to convince him to return to Asgard willingly before I tossed him back on his rear, because one way or another I can't let you fight Thor on the battle field," Death said in a worried tone.

Neo paled at the thought of fighting his father. He wasn't sure how long he could put up a fight against the Asgardian at full strength, but after seeing the fight between Thor and the Destroyer he knew there would be an enormous amount of collateral damage. "Where is he?"

"Hydra is taking their time trying to convince him that they are the side to fight for, so right now they are letting him roam around a small village not far from one of their facilities. I can take you there but it will be up to you to convince him. I'm just hoping you can talk some sense into him before I have to do something that could get you in trouble with your Grandfather."

Neo looked at Death for a minute and saw as Elric entered the training area. He thought for a minute before he spoke, "I don't think it will be hard to convince him he's working for the bad guys, but I don't know if I will be able to get him to leave once he finds out who I am."

"I know of a way," Elric said to his master, "I could mask your true presence, by controlling my spiritual energy I can distort the energy around me, and should be able to hide your godly presence from your father."

"How do you know if it will work?" the young god asked.

"It was something I discovered when I first became a Guardian Spirit, and it has worked before. A strong Guardian Spirit is capable of manipulating spiritual energy; when a guardian combines their energy with a living being it boosts the guardian's power in the living world, and can hide their true nature from anyone able to sense spirit energies, and vice versa. Masters of this art are able to cloak themselves completely from detection," Elric's very soul seemed to curl around Neo a second later, "It seems I am strong enough to hide your godly presence."

"Then it's settled, Elric and I will be going with you," Death stated cheerily with a clap of her hands in excitement.

"Yeah…please don't say it like that next time, it's a little foreboding," the raven haired god told an overly enthusiastic Death.

She just pouted before taking his hand, "Don't be so pessimistic. Why can't you relax a little?" then she grinned, "Oh well, no need to rush. After all, I have FOREVER to teach you how to have fun."

Neo felt a shiver travel down his spine at the same instant Death transported them to the village Thor was in, the two sensations combined and left him feeling displaced for a minute.

"Thor just stepped into the ale house over there," Death explained as she waved in the general direction of a two storied building, "The Hydra facility is over there," and she nodded in the opposite direction, "Thor won't believe you if you tell him the truth, but it's dangerous to lie to a god, so I suggest you come up with something 'close' to the truth. I'm going to let you handle things, but I'm here if you need help."

The god watched as Death disappeared into her Realm. With his mind working and his jaw clenched in annoyance he walked to the local pub. 'Honestly, what idiot decided it would be a good idea to get gods involved in a war between mortals?'

Death's voice came through their connection to answer him, " _The gods have always been involved in mortal conflict. Usually they find it entertaining to see who picked the winning side, and I'm sure if you are not careful you will stumble across one of the gods of War, or an immortal hero looking for a good fight_ _._ "

'That's not a comforting thought.'

" _It was not meant to be_."

The thick air in the room stilled after Neo and Elric entered the establishment, as the villagers took in the new men and their appearance. The thunder god, who was obviously in a cheerful mood, paid no attention to the quiet crowd and continued his story about an adventure, that the villagers probably thought was just a myth, and after a moment of nothing happening the men and women went back to their own conversations.

"Why don't you handle the introductions while I see if I can't 'find' him something a little stronger to drink," Neo whispered to Elric, "I think it would be best to make sure he stays in a good mood, don't you?"

"Whatever you desire, Master," Elric said his white hair brushing his cheeks as he bowed to the young god.

Neo stepped behind Elric and used the spirit's back as cover while he pulled a small casket of godly wine he had swiped from the after battle party for capture the flag before Hades showed up. The wine was usually meant as an offering to the gods after a team's victory, but both teams had brought their offering to the pavilion and he had decided to "liberate" the extra. He really couldn't say why he had decided to take the wine, but it looked like it would be coming in handy. Luke had told him that the only thing gods could actually get drunk on was something that was made for and by them, hence why the wine was part of the offering. Hopefully it was strong enough for Thor; it's not that he wanted to get his father drunk, per say, but Thor was definitely friendlier when he was around good wine and pleasant company. That's why Neo was counting on Elric to impress Thor with his elegant speech.

Elric stood waiting respectfully until Thor had finished his story, then he spoke, "Greetings mighty Thunderer. My master has traveled here to meet with you. Would you be amenable to share a drink with, my lord, this evening?"

The god of Thunder sat down the tankard he had been raising to his lips, "Who is this lord, who would send his servant before me? Is he cowardly? Why does he not show his face?"

Thor only seemed curious, so Neo walked around Elric to come closer to his father. "I am called Neo, a Harold of Death here to oversee this War. I am new to this existence and my servant is more eloquent in the old speech than I am, I thought you would be less offended if he spoke," Neo said before sitting the casket on the table, "I am sorry for disturbing you but I need to talk to you, and I thought you would like something a little stronger than what the mortals have to offer."

Thor eyed the wine barrel, "You bring the drink of the gods as offering and seek to appease me, I shall grant you an audience with the Son of Odin, but let us make haste to a place where the walls do not have so many ears. We shall retire to one of the rooms that this inn provides. Come," Thor said as he rose from his chair taking the handles of two large tankards in one hand, and then climbed the stairs to the second floor.

They shuffled into a room that was barley large enough to fit the three beings. Thor lay across the bed, and Neo took the only seat after Elric offered it to him. The younger god had made sure to cast a privacy spell after entering the room.

"Pour the wine, and I shall hear what you have to say," Thor commanded.

Elric handled the casket and tankards filling both with wine before giving one to his master and the other to Thor.

"I know that you have been called to aid the one known as Hitler in this war."

"Aye, 'tis true. I have offered my aid to his just cause. Why does this concern you, Harold of Death?"

"You are being deceived then. The side you fight for only thinks that their cause is noble, Hitler wants to enslave everyone who is not part of his tyrannical ideals and when he is done he will spread his Regime across Midgard. He has turned on his own people, and I would not be surprised if he turned on his allies once he seized power," then Neo thought of something that he knew would make the god consider what he was saying, "History may be dictated by the victor, but it is studied by the looser. If you win this War for the Nazis, mankind will see you as a monster, and your honor and reputation will be tarnished forever in the eyes of Midgard."

"I will not fight for an unjust cause, yet you speak of things that are opposed to what I have been told. How am I to know if what you say is true? Where is your proof?"

"Not far from here is a place where you can see the truth for yourself," Neo said solemnly. He may not know what he would find at the Nazi base, but whatever it was Death had been sure it would convince Thor, so he wasn't looking forward to going.

"Then take me there, Harold, and I will see if what you say is true with my own eyes," Thor said then drank deep before setting down the empty tankard.

Neo nodded, took the casket and returned it to his locket, and finally took a hold of Thor's arm. Knowing what he was planning Death sent him an image of the Hydra facility, and Neo teleported the group of three outside the building.

Thor marched passed the gate and knocked out the guards that tried to stop him.

"Elric, I want you to collect everything that you can. I'm going to leave it to your discretion what needs to be shared with the Allies, but I want there to be nothing left here for Hydra to use again, including research and material. I'm going to follow Thor," the young god commanded before trudging after his unknowing father.

"Yes, my lord," the spirit replied before he seemed to fade into the shadows.

It only took the older god a few minutes to knock all of the soldiers unconscious. The facility had mostly been used for storing weapons, but twisted minds had still been able to build a small lab on the second floor. Thor was appalled by the sight that met them when they entered the lab. Looking through the files Neo saw that Hydra had been working on splicing animal DNA and human DNA to create deadly soldiers, and all but one of the subjects had died. Thor and Neo had found a little girl, about seven years old, in a cage covered in uneven patches of fur and scars. The young god used his magic to scan the girl and realized that the scientist had done something truly terrible. Somehow Hydra had captured a young magical being but he couldn't tell if she had originally been human or creature. The girl ran away as soon as Thor broke the lock on the cage, and they ran after her. Minutes later they found her standing next to an unconscious Hydra soldier holding a pistol that he must have dropped when he was knocked out. Neo couldn't react fast enough as the girl pointed the gun at the man and shot him in the head. He could only guess that she had seen the soldiers use them enough that she had learned how they worked, but he screamed when he saw her turn it on herself.

Bang!

"NOOO!" The echo of his cry rattled around in his mind as he froze eyes fixed on the small child.

Elric stepped out of the shadows and used his body to block the horrific sight from his master. No one said anything as Elric guided Neo back to the entrance.

" _You won't want to watch this_ ," Death's voice whispered in his mind, " _Life has deemed these men unworthy, so I will claim the souls here and lead them to my realm. Do not worry, the child was innocent and her soul will be made new so that she can be reborn. There was nothing you could have done for her, Master, she had suffered too much_."

They had reached the outer gate when Neo stopped and turned back. His jaw clenched like he wanted to speak but he couldn't open his mouth. 'Do what you will, leave nothing standing,' he finally said to Death.

Then a raging storm suddenly appeared. The clouds grew so dark that they completely blocked out the Sun, and lightning suddenly struck the building in large bolts one after the other as the storm raged furiously. In a matter of minutes the whole facility was reduced to smoldering rubble.

It was strange that Thor didn't say anything until they reached the village. Stopping outside of the ale house, Thor spoke, "I will retrieve what I will, and summon Heimdall to open the Bifrost. Midgard does not need Asgard interfering in this War. Farewell, Harold of Death."

Neo stuck around to watch Thor leave and then used his own power to return to Camp Lehigh. Once he appeared in the hidden clearing Death was there and she quickly wrapped her arms around the god and pulled him to her in a hug. Neo felt exhausted in a way that wasn't physical. Seeing that one girl had trudged up the most terrible of his memories, and he wasn't counting on a peaceful sleep.

It could have been an hour or a few minutes before Death finally let him pull back, and he wasn't really surprised that it had helped. Neo huffed as a thought came to mind, 'I guess you can find comfort in Death.' The entity must have heard his thought since a second later she let out a quiet giggle.

"I can speak from experience, sir," Elric began, "The child will be taken care of, and you may even see her again."

"He's right," Death agreed, "I'm not the one that can choose when she will be reborn, but you will probably see her again."

Neo gave Death a small smile, "I know, and I can wait. It's just…I fought in a War, and Voldemort was the darkest wizard of my time, but…somehow those humans were so much worse. What else have those people done? Hitler, the Nazis, and Hydra…it's hard to believe that they are even human beings. It's almost like Voldemort's insanity was child's play compared to the depravity of men, and it makes me sick. They can't get away with this. Hitler is the Allies problem, but I want to tear down Hydra and burn them so badly that their 'heads' will never grow back."

"Well, you have people who can do that," Death mentioned casually, "As the S.E.R.F. Director, I have already sent spies and operatives out to stop some of Hydra's biggest plots. I doubt they will be completely eradicated but we can stop them from having a far reach in the future. Why do you think I sent you to stop Thor, there is already an S.E.R.F. mission file stating that an operative was sent to destroy the Hydra facility. Which technically is run by you, since as the Master of Death you have complete say in what I do, remember?"

Neo's eyes fell to the ground as he thought, and the image of the little girl lying on the floor of the Hydra facility flashed in his mind. He shook his head to clear away the picture and then spoke, "I'm not stupid enough to think I could run an organization like that, so you're welcome to do what you want with it, besides I have my team, well almost…"

Death hummed, "The evaluation period is almost over, and after that, S.E.R.F. Team-1 will be complete, and then my babies will be all grown up and ready for War," Death dramatized with a sniffle and swipe to her cheek to remove fake tears.

Neo rolled his eyes and figured he had been standing around long enough. He left with Elric and Death went off to do whatever she usually did when she wasn't making his life difficult. After he made his way to the training grounds, Neo watched the men finish a brief set of calisthenics before they started a mile run.

"Are you coming, Neo?" Peggy asked from the back of the jeep that had pulled up next to them. She wouldn't have used his first name but Neo slickly avoided using his last name, so everyone either called his "Neo" or just "Sir", except for the mysterious Elric who would call him "Master" half the time.

"Thank you for the offer Agent Carter, but I think I'll join them on this run," he said smiling back.

Peggy would give him credit for being charming sometimes, but she still wondered what qualifications he had for being the leader of some secret team; she would never know that he often wondered the same thing. "Well you better hurry or you won't catch-up."

"I doubt that, but I won't be long."

"Very well," she said before telling the driver to keep going.

"Elric, Death knows something that she isn't telling me," he looked the spirit in the eyes, "you think so too." The god sighed, "Great…look, Steve has a friend who recently joined the Army, I want you to find out where he is and anything else you can get on 'Bucky'. He seemed like a good man and I'm sure we will need all the help we can get."

"Right away, Sir."

Neo waited a few seconds after the spirit left before he started into a slow jog that gradually increased into a sprint. It took a few minutes but Neo was able to reach the back of the group. Steve was right in front of him and seemed to be struggling to keep up and Erik was only a short distance in front of him, thought the younger man was in a better state.

"Hey Steve!" the god greeted once he fell into step beside the smaller man, "I know it's difficult when you're winded, but it would help if you breathed in through your nose and out through your mouth."

Steve nodded and wheezed out his thanks for the advice, but it took every bit of focus he had to keep running. When Sgt. Duffy finally called a halt the blonde almost fell on his face. Steve felt Neo grip the back of his uniform and steadied him, but when Steve turned to look at him, the green eyed man just pretended nothing happened. Steve appreciated the help, and was grateful that the man didn't mention anything about his lack of stamina. Then he remembered that Neo was the only one who never mentioned how scrawny he was, even the kid that was on the S.E.R.F. team, Erik, had asked him why he was there. No matter how politely Erik had tried to ask the question it still hit Steve's ego pretty hard.

Neo let a small smile appear as he watched the soldiers try to scramble up the pole. Then Steve just walked up and dropped the pole, took the flag, handed it to Sgt. Duffy and hopped into the back of the jeep with Agent Carter. Neo almost busted his gut trying to keep himself from laughing in Duffy's face.

Without Steve there Neo started running with Erik, but the teen just waved him toward the front, "I'm fine…but I…can't talk…go on," Erik said between breaths.

Slightly bored, Neo took up his own pace and passed the men before he came to the front where he timed his steps with Victor who was jogging next to his brother. Thinking about James Howlett reminded him of the fact that the man had been avoiding him lately, '…and we can't have that.'

It was due to a little magic and a childish prank spell that James seemingly tripped over nothing and hit the ground with a grunt. 'Okay,' Neo told himself as some of the other men tripped and fell on the downed mutant, 'I can admit that was a little petty, but so is avoiding people, and turnabout IS fair play.'

The rest of the group stopped including the young god, who smiled when Victor started laughing at his brother. Soldiers shoved each other around until they separated and tried to get back into formation while Sgt. Duffy yelled at them to keep moving.

A few seconds later a grumbling James returned to the front of the line and he could smell the smugness coming off his team leader; he wasn't sure how but he knew that Neo had something to do with what happened.

"Hey Jimmy," Victor nudged his brother, "You should let me know, next time you have a sudd'n urge to kiss the dirt, I'd hate to get between you two," his fanged grin and rumbling chuckle succeeded in making his brother even grumpier, while Neo laughed silently beside them.

 ***Break***

It was the last week of the evaluation period and Dr. Erskine had just walked into the Mess Hall for breakfast. He usually ate breakfast there before starting his day since he knew he would be too busy during lunch and dinner to actually eat there again.

He glanced around the room and noticed that the S.E.R.F. team leader was missing. Neo would usually be one of the first ones there and would sit at a table drinking tea until everyone filed out of the Mess to begin their days. Abraham eyed the so called food on his plate as he took a seat at the only available table, which happened to be the table Neo usually sat at. Hesitantly dipping his spoon into his bowl he began reading the files he had brought with him.

Neo had been running late that morning because Death had decided to pull him into her Realm to have a little chat. It was about mundane things like what else was happening in history at the time, how training was going with the team, and what color he thought the Human Torch's flame retardant uniform should be. They played a game of go fish while they talked but the long visit hadn't let his mind rest enough so Death had told Elric to let him sleep in.

Neo woke up two hours later than usual, but he still managed to get in a quick workout, eat breakfast and was ready a whole hour before the men started training. He made his way to the Mess Hall, with Elric carrying the updated evaluations he had to look over that morning and a pot of tea.

"By the gods, does it have to be a bloody porcelain teapot? We are in a war," Neo grouched. It was an old complaint, and Elric still refused to budge.

"I have said before, Master, there would be an unpalatable change in flavor if I used a metal kettle as you request. I see no reason for you to lower your standards just because it is difficult for others here to maintain the proper etiquette during wartime. Therefore I must refuse your request for your own good, and continue to serve you to the full standard required of me as your butler."

Neo sighed, "You're as eloquent as always, and I suppose looking like a pompous arse is acceptable to your 'standards'."

The two walked through the door to the Mess and straight to Neo's usual table. When Erskine went to get up Neo gave him a kind smile, "You don't have to leave Doctor, unless you mind me joining you this morning?"

There was a brief pause as Abraham realized that it was the first time the younger man had spoken to him, "Oh, no, no of course not, please join me." They both sat down and Elric took his normal spot behind Neo's chair.

Neo saw the contents of the Doctor's breakfast and frowned in concern, "I hope you're not going to eat that, Doctor?"

Erskine looked puzzled, "I was planning on it yes. Why do you ask?"

"It's grey," the god explained simply, "Elric, see if you can get some actual breakfast for the Doctor, please, and whatever else he wants."

"Right away, sir," the spirit said before he was gone.

The doctor began to protest, "He doesn't need to do that. I mean this is actually really terrible, but it hasn't killed me…yet."

"I wouldn't take any chances doctor," he replied and they shared an amused look.

They lapsed into silence as both men began reading their files, which Neo suspected where copies of the same reports. Less than five minutes later Elric returned carrying a silver tray that left an amazing smell in the air as he passed. When the butler put the tray down in front of him, Abraham saw a simple bowl of creamy porridge and a three tiered service tray containing butter, honey, sugar, spices, jams and toast. Elric sat a porcelain tea cup next to the tray that matched Neo's own cup and the teapot. Abraham imagined that if he didn't know he was in an Army base, he would feel like he was dining with royalty.

"Help yourself, Doctor, and if there is anything else you would like, please don't hesitate to ask," the well dressed servant said with a smile.

"If you had a bowl of fruit with extra cherries I would probably die," the Doctor said with a fond chuckle.

"Of course, just a moment," and then the spirit was gone again.

Dr. Erskine looked surprised, and turned to the raven haired man across from him, "He's not serious is he?"

Neo shrugged and replied without looking up from the file he was reading, "You shouldn't be so surprised, Doctor, I did tell him to get you whatever you wanted, and Elric takes my orders very seriously."

There was a small clinking sound as Elric sat a bowl of assorted bite-sized fruit with double the amount of cherries on the table. Abraham was too stunned to say anything.

Neo glanced up over the file and smirked at the gobsmacked look on the doctor's face, "Nicely done, Elric…nicely done." He cleared his throat loudly to pull the doctor out of his stupor, "You should eat before it gets cold."

Abraham could only nod his head to acknowledge that he had heard the other man. When he had prepared the porridge to his liking he spooned some into his mouth and his eyes misted over, it had been a long time since he had tasted something as good. The doctor savored each bite and cherished the tangy sweetness of the fruit.

Unknown to the good doctor, he had become the object of everyone's envy in the Mess Hall that morning.

Later, Neo met the Colonel on his way to the training grounds. It seemed that Dr. Erskine wanted Steve for Project Rebirth, and the old soldier was having a hard time accepting the decision. Neo agreed that Hodge was a bully but the man could be redeemed. The dummy grenade had been a strong counter for Phillips but in the end he only succeeded in proving Erskine's point.

"'Niceness' may not win wars, Colonel, but bravery and courage can," Neo said with a hint of pride on his face.

Phillips gave Neo a seething glare, but the god was distracted when he heard something strange.

"What now? Have you lost the trail, again? By my father Zeus, I curse your terrible sense of direction, Satyr."

Neo saw the three men out of the corner of his eye. He recognized Hephaestus with his dark skin, regal face and bronze leg brace. Next to the god stood a young fair skinned and curly red-haired Satyr, and a muscular man with dark brown hair, a short trimmed beard, and blue eyes. The god seemed to be the most normally dressed of the three in black slacks, dark grey shirt and leather jacket. The brunette man wasn't wearing much of anything except for a headband, the sandals tied to his legs with leather straps, and a green garment that wrapped around his waist and covered him from hip to thigh. The Satyr looked like a young Irish farm boy with a large brimmed straw-hat that covered his horns and baggy pants held up with suspenders.

"Ugh," the young god groaned, 'This isn't happening. If I ignore them they'll go away. Just ignore them, just ignore…'

"I didn't lose it," the Satyr argued with his wispy chin hair wagging from his trembling jaw, "I can still smell the scent of a god, and it is very strong."

Neo's eyes darted between the three Greeks and the soldiers, 'Bollocks, I've got to get out of here before they cause a scene.'

"It's one of those guys over by the truck," the voice of the Satyr said closer now than before. Neo looked back at them and caught the eyes of the bare-chested man and saw a spark of interest when the man noticed the unique color of Neo's almost glowing green eyes.

Later Neo would deny that he had moved faster than a walk, because he did not run, in the opposite direction of the obvious Greeks.

"Quickly," the bearded man said, "Our quarry is trying to flee."

Neo heard the quick footsteps of one of the three behind him; he was so tense when a hand wrapped around his arm that he reflexively grabbed the wrist, lowered his center of gravity and used both of their momentums to pull and throw the other over his shoulder. When the body landed, the ground shook under Neo's feet. He was instantly mortified thinking that he had just thrown a god, and felt a little bit better when he saw the brown haired man lying on the ground.

"Ho there, little brother, it has been a while since another has laid you on your back outside your bedchambers. He must have taken you by surprise," Hephaestus said with mirth coating his tone.

The brunette chuckled as he sat up rubbing his head, "I did not count on this quest to lead to one so strong," the man turned his head and grinned up at Neo, "or so alluring."

"Seriously…?" the Son of Hermes asked disbelievingly. Neo took a closer look at the man; he was the size of Thor. Neo knew that he hadn't tried to hurt the other, but this man could take a hit. He thought about it, hadn't Hephaestus called him 'little brother' and the man had said Zeus was his father. Neo only knew of one demigod that had strength as legendary as Thor and he was also a Son of Zeus, 'but could that really be him?'

"I don't think it's that funny," the Satyr said with a small tremble in his voice, "no one's supposed to be stronger than you."

"Who the Hell are you people!" Colonel Phillips shouted as he walked toward the three intruders. The mist had been cloaking them, but Neo had interfered with the illusion; now the men were visible and the brunette was drawing the most attention.

The MP's had started making their way over and Neo knew he had to think fast, 'I can't say that they are intruders. I'm sure Hephaestus won't be happy if they man- handle him. They're not dressed like soldiers, especially Mr. I-can't-even-wear-pants over there.'

He felt an invisible tap on the shoulder; " _You are not wearing a uniform, either_ ," Death reminded him.

Neo thought about what Death was implying, 'It's not the worst story I've ever come up with,' he said to placate the rational part of his brain, while trying not to face palm, 'but why me? Oh well, might as well have some fun.'

"Sorry Colonel it looks like they took us both by surprise," he said to the old soldier, and hoped that his smile and amused tone were convincing. "I wasn't expecting them until tomorrow."

"And, just who are they?" the gray haired man questioned.

'If this old warbird stands any straighter his spine is going to snap in two,' the young god thought distractedly, before he decided, 'The Colonel's lived a long life, right? Maybe he's tough enough to deal with gods…here goes nothing.' Neo kept a wary eye on the old man when he spoke, "My new team members."

In the end, while red may not be the most natural color for the Colonel, he didn't die from a sudden heart attack. "I never received orders assigning new members to your team, kid. When I was told that there would be non-military personnel stationed here I let it happen under two conditions, as Colonel of this base I would be in charge, and would be aware of all 'civilians' that the S.E.R.F. sent. Now, I didn't know about these three," Phillips said pointing at the new men, "and if this is how the S.E.R.F. is going to do things you can get off my base."

It rankled Neo that the Colonel had started calling Erik, Jim and even him "civilians", but he hated the fact that the man had been calling him "kid" the most; and he silently admitted that he would have punched the man in the throat if he had called him "boy", so Phillips had been lucky, so far.

"Colonel, I may be younger than you, but I've had my fair share of battle. I'm not a kid, and I would appreciate it if you stopped calling me that. As for informing you, the S.E.R.F. only sent the files to me this morning and I was planning to brief you of their arrival after today's training. I thought I would have the time to do so, since these men were not supposed to be here until tomorrow. Since they are already here, would you like to have that meeting now?" The raven-haired god had only asked the question, because he knew that Phillips had been in meetings all morning and had just left the last one, so there was a good chance he would wait until after lunch to speak with Neo. He only hoped that it would be enough time to figure out a way to get the right documents.

" _Already done_ ," Death said happily in his mind.

The old soldier leveled a dark look at Neo while he spoke, "I will be expecting you and those files in my office at 1300 hours. You better not be late."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Colonel," Neo wasn't sure how well he had kept the sarcasm out of his voice, but Phillips blood pressure was the least of his worries with a god, a possible legend and a mythical creature standing next to him.


	8. Chapter 7

The Law of Three

Chapter 7

It was funny watching Phillips storm off, the old soldier was definitely not as spry as he once was, but he still did a good impression of a young fuming Hermione Granger. With that picture in mind Neo started to snicker, "At this rate, that man is going to have a heart attack whether I'm the cause of it or not. He probably already has kidney problems," he commented.

The young god had just remembered his manners and was going to greet the other god when he realized that he hadn't met Hephaestus yet, or at that time, so he planned out his next move.

"Elric, it shouldn't be too hard for you to find those documents I was talking about. The office is usually 'dead'," meeting the spirits eyes he saw a look of understanding, "Please make sure I have them for the meeting with Phillips later, and please find this man some pants, at the very least."

The spirits lips stretched in to a miniscule smile before he replied, "Yes, my lord," and Elric was gone.

Neo looked to the tall brunette standing on his left, then he turned to the two others on his right and greeted them, "Hello, I'm sorry I have been so rude. I just wasn't expecting someone to suddenly 'horn' in on this morning's training," he emphasized the word "horn" while looking directly at the Satyr, who seemed to curl in on himself under Neo's gaze, "but you've gone through all the trouble of 'searching' for me, why don't we find someplace where we can talk?"

Out of the corner of his left eye, Neo saw the half-dressed man open his mouth. The young god sent a look that clearly said, 'Not here, you idiot!', as he cast a silencing charm to make sure nothing came out of the open maw. Neo found it amusing. Silencing spells were rarely blocked due to being a benign magic and— oh-boy—they were effective. He gestured for them to follow as he walked in the direction of the barracks. Peggy's voice rang out behind them as she ordered the men back into formation.

Hephaestus had felt the energy that silenced his brother when it pulsed from the green-eyed being. The god of the Forge was starting to think that the young Satyr had been wrong, because the man in front of him was too skilled to be an untrained demigod and the level of his strength was very interesting.

Once they were in the barracks Neo took in the room with its six cots and lockers. The sixth bed was only being used for appearances sake by Elric and was so perfectly tidy that it almost made the young gods eyes hurt, and they probably would have if Elric didn't use the same precision in straightening the entire barracks. Victor and James would growl, and Erik would blush while the guardian spirit quickly organized and cleaned the barracks around them. Jim just marveled at the proficiency of the butler's movements and precision of his work. The spirit was a perfectionist and the others suffered for it, but Neo took it in stride since he had always had to keep his own things put away.

Neo paused in his thoughts, 'I'm getting sidetracked, but what am I supposed to do, now that these three are here?'

" _Let me take care of this_ ," Death's voice whispered in the back of his mind before she materialized next to him. "Hello, I see you have met my champion, Lord Hephaestus. I was hoping things would take a different course, but this is just as fun," Death had spoken in a more formal tone but she still smiled kindly at the god of Olympus, then her tone changed and sounded more like an adult cooing over a child, "and you brought your little brother. There aren't that many here for him to chase into his bed, but he'll certainly try, no doubt. Boys will by boys, and I am sure I will have to keep a close eye on my champion."

The brunette bristled and took offense at Death's tone, but Neo still hadn't removed the spell, so his lips flapped soundlessly. Obviously he didn't know, you do not call a being that has and will exist FOREVER and is in charge of your immortal soul, a "homely-faced mocking wench", especially when they are omnipotent and can read your mind. Ice quickly formed on the windows, and thick puffs of white steam came from the raging mute, which slowly diminished as blue eyes widened uncertainly. The room had gone unnaturally cold and even the gods could feel it in their bones. Everyone stood frozen in place as Death turned her head to the brunette. Death's energy became palpable and was so thick in the air that it pressed on everyone, except for Death and Neo.

"Oh, I know who you are, Son of Zeus, named Alcaeus by your father and Heracles by your mother, while you call yourself Hercules. You may be the Scion of Olympus but it will do you well to watch your tongue, even if silenced, and heed your family's warnings when speaking to Death Eternal."

It didn't matter that he couldn't talk; Hercules had gravely insulted Death. Now that he understood what he had done, a fear so great raced through the Son of Zeus that he was frozen. There were not many, but even he had heard the stories on Olympus of gods who had vanished from existence when they angered Death Eternal; the being who would claim every soul, including the gods, at the end of time. Hercules had never known fear like what he felt now and as Death raised her hand toward him, he was so caught up in his fear that he blacked out.

Death felt like laughing when Hercules fainted. Sure, she had used her presence to create an awe-inspiring feeling of fear in the Son of Zeus, and some may argue that it was vindictive punishment but Death didn't care. ' _Little brat deserved it._ '

"Wow that was brilliant! Do it again," Neo said with a smile as he glanced down at the "God of Heroes". His words caused an immediate change in the room; the freezing atmosphere was gone so fast that it was like it had never been there and Death let out a hearty giggle. He noticed the Satyr giving him a concerned look, "What? I've never actually seen that happen before, and from where I was standing Death was wicked-cool."

A huff of amusement came from Hephaestus and he couldn't stop himself from smirking, "For a moment, I was afraid that you were going to end my brother, Lady Death, but I will admit that it was due time for him to have such a humbling experience. Immortality and godhood have not agreed with him. He has changed from a powerful hero into a prideful god, and while I am none too happy about how he has acted, he is my brother and I would hate to see him gone," Hephaestus spoke as he picked Hercules up from the floor and laid him on a cot close by. Then his eyes turned to Neo and he addressed Death again, "However, my curiosity has yet to be relieved. Tell me, what do you mean by Champion?"

The poor Satyr was already close to fainting, so Death decided to spare him the trouble of knowing something he shouldn't and put him into a deep sleep.

Death smiled and sat back on the bed behind her, which happened to be Neo's. "I cannot say," she put on an air of innocence, "It's a secret and you would have to promise not to tell anyone."

Hephaestus barely hesitated, "Very well, I swear that I will not reveal what you tell me to any other, my word as a god."

She nodded. It was well known that when you swore something, even in jest, in front of a powerful being you could never go back on your word, "He is the Master of Death, my voice and emissary in the realms of mortals and gods."

"That is a lofty title," the bronze-skinned god replied and glanced at Neo with the same look of shock, amusement and pride that he had shown when Neo had met him on Olympus.

"He carries it well," she complemented. Then Death looked at the Olympian seriously, "and yet, everyone needs a little help now and then. I know it has not been long since I asked you for a favor, but I hope you wouldn't mind helping me."

"Ah yes, the 'android', you shouldn't worry about that, it was less of a favor and more of a gesture of friendship. So, what can I help you with?" Hephaestus asked, and his right eyebrow rose in a questioning look.

"Neo," Death said nodding to the young god, "is from a future that has been slightly altered due to certain circumstances, and in that future Neo's mate, James Howlett, was the victim of experiments that coated his skeleton in metal. I can see that those events will not be playing out again in this time, but I have seen that in a different reality the same man was blessed by the gods with adamantine bones. I am asking for you to do so in this reality."

"The metal of the gods is like nothing else, and should not be given lightly," the Olympian cautioned.

"That is true," Death acknowledged, "but Howlett is the soul mate of my champion, who is a god and an eternal being, his mates are destined to be gods, in time…and you are the Blacksmith of the gods. With your powers you could bond the metal to his skeleton more perfectly that anyone else and I can dull the pain of the process that would otherwise drive him to madness. I am simply asking you to do what has already been done before."

"If you will show me what you have seen, than I shall see what I can do. If I have done it once before than I will do it again, and it will be even better," the Olympian promised. "Though I believe there is more, or did I hear you wrong? I am to be a part of a team?"

Neo looked to the side sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck; Hephaestus saw the familiar gesture and frowned in thought. "I'm sorry, it was all I could think of earlier, but if you're willing to help, I would be very grateful," the younger god said.

Hephaestus looked a little grim when he replied, "I have tried very hard not to take sides in this conflict since the demigods got involved, and I would prefer to keep it that way," there was a small pause while he seemed to think something over, "however I can see that my help is needed, so I shall lend my aid."

"Yippy!" Death exclaimed as she bounced up from Neo's bed, "This is going to be so exciting, and I know Howard is going to love you! You can help him build the fusion chamber, and maybe it won't cause a major blackout this time."

At that moment, Elric came in with clothes draped over one arm and a collection of files in the other hand. "I spoke with the supply officer when I was receiving the clothes. It appears that there is no room in the other barracks for your newest members, young Master. However, I can arrange for more cots to be brought in, even though the space will be much more limited."

"I'll handle it. An extension charm should be enough. There is no need to make tempers flare now, when we are only going to be here until the end of the week," he stated while thanking his luck that he already knew that spell, "but that leads to another problem. I'll have to convince everyone else that the space was already there." Heaving a sigh as he faced the back wall of the room, Neo pooled his magic just under the skin of his hands while building a clear image in his mind of "exactly" what he wanted the room to look like, before he echoed the words _capacious extremis_ over and over in his mind which helped but wasn't necessary, then released the magic and watched as the room extended another ten feet. The young god turned to the spirit, "Get the beds in here as fast as you can. If they don't see the space so empty, we might be able to convince the others that we just rearranged things."

"Training has already stopped for lunch and you still have the meeting after," Elric reminded, "If you would prefer to stay here, I will bring something for your meal while wait for the others to wake up."

Thanking his luck for having such a perceptive guardian, Neo nodded and for the next half hour he sat with Death and Hephaestus eating roasted lamb—the meaning of which was not lost on the three. Conversation flowed as they ate; Hephaestus had interesting stories to tell involving the feats that heroes and gods accomplished while using his weapons, and Death had fun recalling those times as well.

At one o'clock Neo had his meeting with Colonel Phillips. The old soldier gave Neo a harsh glare when he had finished reading through the files for the three newest members of the S.E.R.F. team.

"You want me to believe that those two giants you added to your team are named after a Greek god and a myth?" Phillips' look of incredulity matched his question, "I'm not buying it."

"I appreciate your honesty Colonel, but it doesn't matter if you buy it or not. They are the newest members of my team, their names notwithstanding," Neo said before he took a sip of water from the glass he then handed back to Elric, "In fact I find their names, when considering their specialties, slightly amusing."

"I think it's a load of bull, a strong-man and combat specialist named Hercules, and a weapon's specialist named Hephaestus? You're pulling my leg, kid, and I don't appreciate it."

Neo smiled a completely fake charming smile and tried to appear as falsely genial as possible, just to offend the old soldier even more. "Colonel, in light of how disagreeable we both find each other, I think it would be simpler if we just agreed to disagree, and moved on."

The older man stared for a moment before he finally breathed out a sigh, and sat back, "Fine, but I don't care if you have new men, your team will not take priority over my men."

"Fine," Neo said before he got up and walked over to the door. He paused before opening the door and looked back at the older man, "I can see that we will never be more than reluctant acquaintances, but I want you to know that I do respect you, Colonel. It's not hard to see that you would do anything for your country and your men, and I hope that one day you will realize that I am only doing the same." Neo finally opened the door and left.

He returned to the barracks to talk with Hephaestus and Death while waiting for his team to return. Hercules and the Satyr had finally woken up. Hephaestus had tasked the Satyr with explaining their circumstances to the god of Raw Strength. The Satyr pulled Hercules aside and got comfortable before he started what would be a long explanation.

Hercules occasionally shot glares at his brother while shifting in the under shirt, uniform pants and boots Hephaestus had tricked him into wearing; that is, until Death commented that the woman there would find him even more attractive in the uniform. Death had decided to leave after settling the argument with Hercules.

"So this Proto-Adamantium combined with your Enchanted-Adamantine, is going to be stronger than regular Adamantium, which doesn't exist yet?" the younger god asked the Olympian, who had just explained how he would improve the work he had done in another timeline. "And, why don't you just use the Adamantine like before?"

"I'm an inventor, my friend, and I try not to make the same thing twice. With my skills of refining ores and my blessing, you have my word that it would be indestructible," Hephaestus said, "even against itself. Something so strong and sharp will be able to cut through anything. It will be my greatest work and rival the weapons of the gods, but I must caution anyone against wielding something so powerful. Do you trust your mate and his capability of acting responsibly?"

"My connection with him already runs deep. I know the man and the beast inside of him, and they are kind, loyal, brave, and honorable. I wouldn't trust anyone else," Neo admitted quietly.

Hephaestus nodded and the room went quiet for a while, before the door banged open revealing the rest of the team.

The second Victor walked in Neo could see the feral mutants noise twitch. Victor's predatory senses had picked up the scent of prey and it was unfortunate that it was the scent of goat. The mutant's eyes focused on the young Satyr and he gave a fierce grin that made the disguised creature shiver in terror. Neo observed the interaction and saw that the Satyr's instinct to flee was about to kick in and he couldn't let that happen; Victor was a hunter and enjoyed a good chase, so Neo stepped in front of the large feral man to distract him from the Satyr.

Drawing Victor's attention, the young god pretended to give the blonde a critical once over. "It's hard to think that you're getting much out of all this training. You've never broke a sweat. If you need more of a challenge, I know the exercise to make you work," Neo baited the big cat-like man. He had noticed Victor's movements, and while the brothers were both feral mutants, Victor moved and acted like a big cat, while James was more canine-like.

Victor tilted his head in interest, "Oh, really? It takes a lot to make me sweat, do you think you can?"

Neo stepped around the man and Victor turned to keep him in his sight, the younger reached the door and turned around with a smirk, "I'm sure I can," he said with complete confidence before he stepped out the door and walked away. The opening and closing of the door to the barracks was his sign that Victor was following.

James had watched and listened to the exchange, and his inner beast was growling. He kept trying to tell himself that Victor wasn't interested in the younger man and that he was just misinterpreting things, but his instincts were raging against his reasoning. His animal side knew that Victor was a strong alpha male, like he was, and that if his mate was around Victor more, the beautiful Green Eyes (A.N.:"Wolverine" is James inner beast, and "Green Eyes" is the Wolverine's nickname for Neo) might choose to mate with his brother instead. For the first time in a while James' instincts took over and his inner beast was the one driving his actions. Wolverine prowled out of the barracks and cautiously tracked the two, mindful of Victor's superhuman senses.

Neo took Victor for a training run, like the ones Magnum would take him on. They ran at full speed for a few hours while Victor dodged Neo and his rubber arrows, and avoided pitfalls and other traps. When they were done the mutant was actually tired and admitted that it had been a good workout. Neo let Victor head for the barracks while he decided to take a walk.

There was something gnawing at Neo and when he tried to focus on what it was he sensed James nearby. At the same time that Neo sensed him, Wolverine revealed himself. The mutant stepped out from behind a tree and right in front of Neo. The god noticed a change in the other's eyes; the normally steel-blue eyes had streaks of gold. He had seen it happen to Remus, when it was close to the full moon, the werewolf's eyes would sometimes turn a golden color to show that Moony was close to the surface.

Wolverine had barely left a hairs-width between them but he got even closer, completely invading Neo's space, by pressing himself into the young god and pinning him against a tree.

Lust came from Wolverine in waves through their bond and manifested as almost unbearable warmth. Searing through the two layers of clothing between them, it made Neo gasp in surprise, as it lit-up his senses; in an instant the invigorating heat left him hyperaware of the places where they touched.

"What are you doing, James?" the god whispered. He wasn't sure that now was a time for questions, but the sudden actions of his soul mate left the god confused.

Instead of answering, Wolverine tilted his head closer to the column of olive skin and inhaled deeply. He savored his mate's unique scent that smelled like a forest after a storm with the electric tang of ozone and a hint of spice, which now included the blossoming perfume of arousal. The intoxicating aroma wasn't tainted by the smell of panic or annoyance, and it made Wolverine happy to know that his mate enjoyed his presence. The inner beast calmed when he didn't smell any other scents mixed in with the green-eyed man's. He was fighting with himself; trying to keep his jaws closed, to not lick and taste the smooth flesh, and to not mark. Mates were marked, and Green Eyes was his mate; but first, the younger needed to understand what that meant.

" _Mine,_ " was the belated reply from the mutant, and it had come out as a growl that was more beast-speak than human. As possessive as his animal nature was, the man and beast could agree that it was not the time to claim his mate, as long as there was fighting it would have to wait; but he still craved being close to his Green Eyes.

Then the feral mutant brought his arms up and wrapped them around the god's waist before gently easing them to the ground and pulling Neo into his lap. Content to bury his nose in the side of the god's neck and breathe deeply, Wolverine was lulled into a tranquil state as Neo ran his fingers through his hair.

Neo sensed the inferno of lust that had threatened to engulf them, slowly withdraw to a constant smoldering ember.

Later James came back to his senses and quickly realized what he had done. Neo felt James' body stiffen under him. The animal aura that the mutant had been projecting had ebbed and the god could tell that the other wasn't sure how to act now.

Pressing his face into the older man's dark hair Neo finally whispered the truth against James' skin, "I knew you were my mate, I could feel the prickling under my skin making me instantly aware of your presence. I just didn't know how to tell you, so I waited for you to figure it out."

"Hm, you could have tried, but I'm not going to lie, I probably wouldn't have listened, but the nose knows," James said leaning back to look at Neo with guilty eyes. "I'm sorry if I scared you."

Neo replied with a smirk as his arms slowly envelop the mutant's shoulders, "Yeah, you're a stubborn git, but I can be too." After a pause Neo pressed his lips against James' temple in a comforting kiss. With that one touch, he felt the ethereal sensation of the encompassing heat from before and a shudder went through him, then he spoke his breath ghosting over the shell of James' ear, "I was the opposite of scared." While basking in their stolen moment, the god reluctantly noted how late it was getting, "We need to get back."

A puff of hot air washed over Neo's collar bone when James sighed, "Alright, but I can't guarantee that this isn't going to happen again. I almost ripped Vick's head off when I saw him leave with you."

Neo laughed as he moved to stand up, "And I may have tripped you when we were running the other day," the god said mischievously, "but it was your fault for ignoring me," he finished.

"I knew it," the mutant growled in mock annoyance, before pretending to run after the god.

They jogged back to the barracks while playing an improvised game of tag. Logan slowed and stopped just around the corner of the building adjacent their barrack. When Neo looked back the mutant just shrugged, "You go on ahead. I'll be in, in a minute."

Neo nodded, "Okay, but I hope that's not your way of telling me you're going to pretend nothing happened when you walk through that door. I'm not expecting everything to suddenly be lovey-dovey, that's not your style and I like that about you, but it would be nice if you weren't avoiding me all the time."

The reply was quick but the words were measured and steady, "I wasn't plannin' on pretending anything. I just need a little more time to get my head on straight, that's all. Part of me wants to run off with you and hide away in a cave somewhere no one can find us, and another part is telling me to see this War through just like all the others I've fought. It's the fact that you're a part of this fightin' that unsettles me."

The god smiled, "You shouldn't be so worried about me."

"Can't help it…it's instinct."

"I don't know how well I can play at being the damsel-in-distress for my big bad knight's ego, but I guess I can give it a try," Neo joked. "I'll see you inside. Be back before lights out," he paused to give a teasing grin, "That's an order." After that he turned around the corner and was gone.

James stood for a second before he leaned against the wall next to him and pulled out one of the cigars he always carried. He placed the end between his teeth but didn't bother to light it and just chewed on the cigar for a minute before he was interrupted.

"He is extraordinary, but you've figured that out already," a voice said from behind him.

James whirled around to see the white-haired woman that had been talking to Neo a few days before. She looked the same but her dress was better suited for a high class party and not military barracks.

Death didn't let him speak before she continued, "I feel that you should know he won't be around to see the end of this War. He's not going to die," she quickly added when Death saw the concern in the mutant's eyes, "and he won't be going anywhere for a while. But, it's only a matter of when, before he starts moving through time again, towards a new future. Not much has changed so far, but enough, and now there are only a few things left to do. One of those things is a choice that you have to make," she emphasized this by pointing a finger at his chest; "You were given a gift through your mutation. I'm referring to your bone claws. What would you say if I told you that I could make your claws unbreakable and even more deadly? Would you accept my offer?"

"I don't know you and you sound crazy, so I'm going to say no," he spoke with a slight growl in his voice.

"I understand your hesitation, men of action rarely believe something if they don't see it with their own eyes and then some still do not. My offer has nothing to do with you believing me, however, I am simply offering you the chance to protect the people you care about. I am giving you the opportunity to have indestructible claws that will slash through anyone or anything that threatens your family. Wouldn't you do it for your brother? Wouldn't you do it for your mate?" He was silent for a long time but Death patiently waited, Death could be extremely patient.

"If you knew me, you would know the answer to that question. So I've got a question for you, what are you planning to do if I say yes?"

"I'm planning to give you what you need to protect your mates and family until the end of time. I am not doing this to turn you into a living weapon, like anyone else giving you this offer would want. I'm doing it out of love. I want you to protect the people you care about because I have a deep fondness for them too. You're a fighter, so I know you can understand that kind of devotion."

It had gone quiet again. It felt like an hour later before James said anything, his voice was a little rough and he had to clear his throat before he spoke, "I'll take your deal, but if you're trying to use me, you will regret it."

Death nodded and acknowledged his decision, "Good, tomorrow the candidate for Project Rebirth will be chosen and the day after that he will be undergoing the procedure, afterwards S.E.R.F. Team-1 will have its newest member and then you will receive my gift."

James had one final question before she left, "Who are you, lady?"

She pierced him with her green gaze, "I am Death…and all that is implied," she said before she faded away.

"Hm," he took a minute to think before he tore off the chewed end on his cigar and stuffed the rest back into his chest pocket. He made his way back to his bunk and nodded to Neo who had looked up from the files he had been looking over for the meeting in the morning. The first volunteer was going to be chosen tomorrow and the next day the lucky knucklehead was going to get a new lease on life as a Super Soldier, while James apparently got a few enhancements of his own.

 ***Break***

The next morning Elric handed Neo two files before he saw the Colonel, one was on the Candidate choices and the other was a statement of approval for James' procedure in the late afternoon. Neo was bored throughout the meeting; he already knew the person that they would pick, and it was obvious who Dr. Erskine had chosen, but it looked like Phillips still had some arguments to make. It took two hours to finally decide that Steve Rogers may not be The Colonel's pick, but he was the best choice.

And when Neo got to the training grounds it looked like his day was destined to get worse. It was obvious from the way he was bench pressing one of the supply trucks that Hercules had decided to show off. Neo was slightly marveled by Peggy as he watched the female take the act in stride, and begin to reprimand Hercules for not following orders.

"Put that truck down now, and get back in formation," she demanded for a second time.

Neo stopped next to Peggy and spoke to the bearded god, "You heard her, Hercules, Agent Carter is a training officer in charge of this group when the Colonel is not present, and the S.E.R.F. is to listen to the Colonel when I am not present. Now, put the bloody thing down."

Hercules did what they asked but started voicing his opinion when he was in front of them, "You call what she has us doing, training? It is not even a workout."

Neo had to look slightly up at the god to look him in the eye, "Yes, your training to work as a team and every member of my team needs to be evaluated by me or one of the trainers."

"If you wish to test my strength than it will take more than this, there is nothing here to challenge me physically," the Son of Zeus boasted.

"Then how about challenging you mentally? I'm generously giving you a two out of seven, right now," Neo commented with annoyed sarcasm.

"I do not like your insults," Hercules said with a glare, "If you think you can judge me then you must also think yourself my better. Face me, and we shall see?"

Neo gave up, he really didn't know how to get through to Hercules, so he shrugged, "Why not, I was bored anyway," Neo said before he turned to the others and gestured for them to move back, "Make some room please." Then he told the other god, "I just need a minute."

"Oh, by your leave, I'll let you have all the time you want but it won't change anything," Hercules goaded.

Neo walked over to Elric who took the jacket Neo handed him. "Are you sure, Master?" the spirit asked.

"I don't want to take the chance that I might use it out of reflex," was the answer from the raven-haired god.

Erik walked up to him, "Do you have a plan?" he asked Neo in German, "That guy can lift a truck. If he hits you he could kill you."

"There are two strategic ways to begin a fight. The first is to wait for your opponent to make the first move, which is often telling and can be easily countered. The second is to make the first move, and attack so hard and fast that you overwhelm your opponent making them unable to block or counter," Neo explained to the younger teen beside him. Okay, so he was using a methodical mindset to keep calm, but not everyone needed to know that.

Erik nodded with a pensive look on his face, "So…which one are you going to use?" he questioned as he eyed Neo's large challenger.

Neo looked over at Erik and paused before he finally replied, "I haven't figured that out yet."

"Hopefully you do soon, because it looks like the fight is about to begin. Good luck," they both tried to ignore the way that Erik's well-wishes had sounded more like a goodbye.

The young god took a second to remember what Chiron had explained to him about facing a stronger opponent.

 ***Flashback***

"That's good, but keep your feet moving," the centaur instructed the dueling pair.

Neo had been sparring with Travis for a while, and Chiron was still pushing them. A few minutes passed and the trainer called a stop. On the benches to the side sat one of the Son's of Hephaestus. The tall and large dark-skinned boy had shown up to training but Neo wasn't sure why when he hadn't been involved so far.

Chiron called him back and this time the Son of Hephaestus came forward to face him. The centaur started speaking when they had made it to the center, "I have been watching the way you usually let your opponent move first Neo and most of the time that is a good strategy, but not when facing a stronger opponent. When you're facing a stronger opponent, you can't wait for them to attack first or they will take you down with the first hit. The only way you can win a fight is by putting everything you have into attacking first, even if it leaves you open to a counter-attack. When you are outmatched you attack first, fast and hard, and aim for a vulnerable spot."

 ***End Flashback***

Neo knew that Hercules was almost invulnerable, so the odds weren't in his favor.

Before they even stood across from each other Neo had started letting his power flow freely and pooling it throughout his body, just under the skin, not letting anything escape his control. The wind stilled ready to answer the call of a Son of Hermes. He was focusing all of his energy on two things at once and getting ready to release them simultaneously; one was on moving the fastest he ever had; the second was to cast the most powerful stunning spell he could.

Peggy stood to the side to referee the fight, "On the count of three. One…"

Neo crouched, and he saw his opponent ready himself.

"…Two…"

He tightened the coils of power inside of him focusing them in his legs and fists, and his whole world came down to his opponent and that one move. He knew he would only get one chance because if he failed it would all be over.

"…Three!"

Neo released the energy and leapt at the same time. He moved so fast that he was almost a blur. The fingers of his hand curled but he left his palm open, thrusting his arm in front of him he struck the Son of Zeus across the cheek and the power of the stunner flowed from his hand and into the other god on contact. His momentum sent him past Hercules and he slid across the ground on the heels of his feet before stopping eight feet away from his opponent.

The wind that had seemed to suddenly pick-up and whip past Hercules settled. He had felt the hit to his cheek, but while it hurt he was still standing. He turned to Neo at the same time the younger god turned to him, "That was a nice try, but it seems you were only boasting. I will end this," the bearded man said taking a step forward, and then he blacked out.

Hercules hit the ground face first, and Neo straightened with a sigh, relieved that it was over. "I can't believe that worked," he muttered to himself. Hercules was a god and Neo hadn't truly thought his plan would work against the god of Raw Strength. He may be drained magically but it was better than being a punching bag.

Thinking that it wasn't nice to leave his team member lying in the dirt Neo walked over to the unconscious god and turned him over. When the other didn't even groan, Neo decided to carry him back to the barracks. Kneeling down he grabbed the dead weight and dragged him over his shoulders, then stood.

"I expect everyone to be training when I get back," Neo said before he left carrying Hercules, "Ugh, gods you're heavy," Neo told his burden as he walked.

"Well that was interesting," Victor commented to his brother, "Now I'm a little scared of our leader."

Logan just raised one eyebrow but didn't think it was necessary to tell his brother that he agreed.

Things happened quickly after the fight; Hercules admitted that he was being a little overzealous. Then that afternoon Steve was told that he was the chosen candidate and he was ordered to pack-up his bunk before he left the next morning. The S.E.R.F. team also had to pack-up, officially they were on leave, but technically they had been invited to watch Steve's procedure. Hephaestus and the doctor left in the afternoon since they would be working with Stark to set things up for the procedure. Victor, Logan, Jim and Hercules had chosen not to watch and were going to sit it out at a local gathering establishment, and Neo would be taking Erik to see his parents for the next two day before he would go to the lab.

 ***Break***

The next morning Neo and Erik left before everyone else. Erik's parents were happy to see their son and they greeted Neo warmly before he left. It was still early, and the others hadn't even left Camp Lehigh yet. He appeared outside of the store they were using for cover and gave the password before heading down to the laboratory. He met Hephaestus and watched as the team of scientist and engineers worked.

Erskine came up to him a little while after Neo entered. "Hello, my friend," the doctor greeted, "I see that you decided to watch the show."

Neo chuckled, "I'm more interested in making sure that everything goes smoothly."

"Well your man has seen to that. In fact, he has impressed Stark so much I'm sure Howard will try to steal him from you."

"I am sure the feeling is mutual," the god said, "Hephaestus may even try to offer Howard a deal of a 'lifetime'."

"Perhaps," the doctor said before he seemed to think harder on something. "I have not known you long but I would like to ask you for a favor." Abraham pulled out a vial and leather book from his lab coat, "This is a vial of my formula, one of three but the Army only knows about two, and the only copy of my personal notes. I would like to give these to you for safe keeping."

Neo took the two items, "Why me?" he questioned as he carefully pocketed them.

"I feel in my gut that you are the right choice, and because you are different," Erskine then stood, "I can see that you care about helping others more than making them into weapons," he stated before heading back to his preparations.

When it was about time for Steve to show up Howard stated that everything was ready. Steve walked in sometime later, with a vaguely awed look. It had seemed so strange to watch the small man get into such a large machine and then later fit so snuggly that his body took up all the space inside. Steve came out looking like a different man, but he wasn't on the inside, which is what counted.

When the bomb went off Neo had been standing next to Hephaestus and they were both jostled by the cowering crowd. Neo heard the gunshot over the screaming and he quickly turned around to see a man running up the stairs. He saw Peggy take aim and fire while Steve crouched next to Erskine as he lay on the floor. Peggy and Steve ran off chasing after the assassin. Neo made his way over to the doctor and kneeled down. He could feel Death closer to him and he mentally asked her to wait, 'Isn't there something we can do?'

Death replied quietly, " _It is his time_."

Neo took the dying man's hand and could feel it as his soul finally left his body. In the back of his mind Death let him know that the doctor was at peace.

Vowing that he wouldn't let the assassin get away, Neo ran up the stairs and out of the shop. He saw Peggy looking down the street and looked in time to see Steve run around a corner. Using his ring to turn invisible to the eye, Neo flew up above the buildings. He found Steve chasing a taxi and watched as he jumped on the roof. When the taxi rolled over and the man started firing, Neo flew down and ran, following Steve after the killer. As Steve went after the assassin Neo turned visible and lifted the boy out of the water. When he made it over to the pair of men, the assassin was already dead. Neo had heard about spies doing the same thing when he had been taking history during summer school, but to see it was different.

Steve saw Neo coming just after the assassin had committed suicide. "How did you get here so fast?" Steve asked slightly out of breath.

Neo glanced at the now taller man and watch his face as he answered, "I flew."

There was a silent conversation as Steve looked at Neo with a puzzled expression, and the god nodded his head. Steve's eyebrows rose and the look of surprise lasted a few seconds.

Steve really didn't know what to say so he just asked, "Do you want to walk back?"

Neo tilted his head and shrugged, "Sure."

Everyone celebrated when Steve returned. He had stopped the assassin from getting away with the formula, but with the doctor dead his research and the secret to his formula were gone, or so they thought.

By the end of the day it had been decided by Senator Brandt that Steve would take his codename as Captain America and help to promote war bonds, instead of letting the soldier become a guinea pig so the scientists could attempt to rediscover the formula. Without Erskine's serum the Army couldn't create anymore super soldiers so they chose to scrap the Program. Neo knew what that meant. Death had said that when the War was over control of the Super Soldier Program and all of its assets would revert to the S.E.R.F. and being scrapped was the same thing.

When he got the chance Neo informed the Senator of the change in authority, but also said that he would allow Steve to promote bonds until the man was ready to return to active duty. The only condition that Neo gave the Senator was that no one would experiment on or draw blood from Steve, "…Rogers was officially a member of my team and under S.E.R.F. protocols the second the Army decided to scrap Project Rebirth, and since then all files on him officially belong to the S.E.R.F. If your government or military scientists try to draw blood or take so much as a spit sample off his toothbrush, the U.S. will be violating the contract with the S.E.R.F. and there will be repercussions. Whether Steve is promoting war bonds or out on the battle field, he is still an active member of my team and all files on him and Erskine's formula have become classified S.E.R.F. documents."

Before he left the meeting, Elric handed him a file with S.E.R.F. across the front. Inside was a new assignment.

 ***Break***

Neo stepped through the doors of the establishment and picked out the four forms of his team members huddled around a table.

Victor saw the young god first and nudged his three companions who looked over to the door. They all gave Neo a questioning look, but he just nodded to the door and stepped back outside signaling them to follow. Neo was leaning against a truck when they got outside.

"So what happened?" James asked.

Neo's eyes shifted to them and then back to the ground, "The procedure was a success. Steve is better in every way than he was before and he's actually taller than me now. Erskine was assasinated. Steve's been reassigned as a poster boy, and the Army scrapped the program. Then the S.E.R.F. finally decided where they want to deploy us."

It was Victor that asked the next question, "…and where is that?"

Neo finally looked at them fully with a smile on his face, "Italy."

"Sounds like fun," James commented, and then he watched as the white-haired woman came up to them and stopped next to Neo while giving the mutant an expectant look. "Well, fellas, it looks like I've got a date with Death."

"I'm sure it will be worth your while," Death teased.

"You don't have to do this," Neo told his mate. He knew that James had agreed to let Hephaestus and Death coat his bones and claws in metal, but the young god hadn't had the chance to talk to him about it.

The others were confused since they had no idea what Death was planning.

"I'm not going to have second thoughts about something I've already decided on," James stated, "I've got my reasons for going through with this."

"Then it is settled," Death said before she took Neo's hand and squeezed it, "We should go, now."

Neo nodded and Death instantly moved them from where they were to the study in her Realm. She spoke to the whole room, "It won't take us long to come back, and everyone is welcome to relax here. James, this way," she said and walked over to the only door to the room.

Victor had been left speechless when they suddenly appeared in the study, and it was only after the three left that he spoke, "Who the hell is that woman?"

"That was Death Eternal, one of the two most powerful beings in existence," Hercules answered. Jim just nodded while Victor looked slightly worried.

The door took Death, Neo and James to a room with a single medical bed in the middle, a medium sized desk with a large metal box on top and a rolling chair that Hephaestus was sitting in. The Olympian god just nodded a greeting, and then opened the box; inside was a glass container holding a grey and silver liquid.

"This is it, and once it hardens the metal will be unbreakable. When I'm finished it will be permanent," Hephaestus explained.

James nodded, "I hear you, but the claws were already permanent, so that just means I won't go breakin' one off and have to wait for it to grow back. If anything, I say that sounds like a pretty good perk."

"Hephaestus is concerned about cases where you might have a nightmare and use them in your sleep. Then there are those who have the power to control other people's minds. Both possibilities could be very dangerous for those around you," Death explained.

Shadows clouded the mutant's eyes as he contemplated those possibilities and his mind started to conjure up other ideas.

The entities voice interrupted his thoughts as she happily stated, "That's alright though, because this improved metal will act as a natural defense against mind control by making it impossible for psychic attacks to penetrate your metal skull.

"However, because of your natural abilities you should always be cautious of people looking to use you. While mental attacks won't work, you may be susceptible to hypnotic suggestion, illusions, and other forms of false impressions. But it will still be hard for those methods to work. In most situations feral beings spend decades or centuries coming to terms with their wilder side, and in the end only achieve a compromise. The animal instinct is almost impossible to control and even harder to trick, so I won't be envying any fool who tries to manipulate you.

"As for nightmares…well you have our dear Master of Death for that," the last words were a sultry tease and she gave Neo an impish look that made the young god blush.

James smirked at the green-eyed god, "I think this is sounding better by the minute."

"Then I'm ready when you are," Hephaestus announced as he had pulled a second container out of the box and set it next to the first on the table.

The mutant walked over to the Olympian, "What have I got to do?"

Hephaestus pointed to the bed, "I'll need you to remove your clothes so they are not in the way, and then just lie down. Death will make sure you do not feel anything, before you realize it I will be finished."

Glancing around the room, he received indifferent looks from Death and the Olympian God and a smile from his young mate. James unbuttoned the shirt he was wearing then shucked it off. Neo reached out for the piece of clothing and James let it fall into his waiting hand. He removed the rest of his clothes and Neo collected them. When they were done Neo went to lay the clothes across another chair that had appeared while the feral mutant positioned himself on his back in the middle of the medical bed.

Neo walked back over and ran his fingers through James thick hair for a moment, massaging the man's scalp with his fingertips. When the younger god noticed Hephaestus' slightly impatient look he finished his ministrations and said, "So, have you figured out what you want to do for our first date? You should think about it," then he leaned over and brushed his lips against James', "I'll see you when you wake up."

James closed his eyes and was unconscious the next second. Death knew that with Hephaestus using his power to bond the metal to the mutant's skeleton the procedure would be less painful than if it had been done the same way as before. The only reason she was helping was because the body needed time to adjust to the weight of the metal and any aches that would be a result. Death gently carried his soul into another place in her Realm to separate it from any pain the body might feel. It wasn't an out of body experience for James and he was still alive, as soon as Hephaestus was done Death let the soul ease back into the body.

 ***Break***

They only had one day to get ready before they were shipped off. For the next three months. Neo and his team; Erik, Jim, James, Victor, Hephaestus, Hercules and Pip; fought on the front lines pushing the Axis Powers back and completely destroying enemy bases after raiding them for information. Elric, while not considered a member, relayed orders and participated in information gathering. Once Elric had the information he would deliver it to Death, who had assembled a network of spirits and creatures of death as S.E.R.F. personnel. Once the S.E.R.F. received the information they would assign the next missions, and usually gave Neo's team the missions with the highest probability of violence.

The team acted like brothers, and Erik being the youngest was constantly being given impromptu survival and fighting lessons by the others, while Neo helped him with his powers. They may not have admitted it but everyone was worried for their youngest member (Pip may look young but he was actually 23 years old). Erik had been working on his flying and powers the most, at Neo's instance, and he had built up enough stamina to move through the air for almost half an hour and lift a tank. He was also learning different fighting moves from Hercules, Neo, and James who were all good instructors.

Thanks to Hephaestus' new armored suites the team was well protected. The material was made from woven Kevlar fibers with a layer of Kevlar plating between two layers of fabric. It was cut into uniform jackets and pants, and was used for their knee-high boots (like Steve's battle suit in _The First Avenger_ ). The god had designed it to be bulletproof while also being very flexible. Each suit was slightly personalized; Jim's was dark-red with a stylized flame on the chest and fire proof, but he could still ignite his whole body to fly; Victor and James' were both a dark-brown and had two strips of light-brown, with James' on the shoulders of his uniform while Victors' were on the forearms; Hercules' was mostly brown with forest-green on the arms and pants; Erik's was maroon, with a royal purple stripe across the shoulders and down the arms, and the young mutant liked to point out that it was the same pattern as Neo's jacket; Pip's identity as a Satyr was revealed the day that they arrived in Italy, so no one was surprised to see his green uniform was fitted to his goat-like legs and he didn't wear boots. Hephaestus had allowed Neo to take a peek at the suit the god had created for Steve, and Neo liked the red-white-and-blue theme with the star on the chest. The god of the Forge offered to make Neo a set of armor, but it wasn't necessary with the one he already had.

Neo wore his own armor, but slightly different than before. Instead of only being a jacket and boots or full armor, Neo had chosen to wear half of his armor most of the time. The black leather jacket with red strip, stayed the same but was usually strapped together across his chest, and he wore the Asgardian leather-like pants and battle boots with knee and shin guards.

Hephaestus didn't create armor for himself, because he preferred to let the others do the fighting.

During basic operations Neo would scout the enemy defenses using his powers to hide himself, while Hephaestus sent in automaton flies that acted like spy cameras. Erik would disable communications and vehicles, by twisting the metal legs to topple communication towers and breaking axels. Pip was good at causing distractions and being lookout. Once they had found a way in Hercules, Jim and Neo would attack from the front while James, Victor and Elric would sneak in. Elric was always able to get most if not all of the information before the Hydra agents and Nazis could destroy it. It usually worked but when the plan went sideways everyone was able to hold their own and escaped with minor injuries, if any, thanks to the portkeys Neo created for them.

Since the S.E.R.F. was a mostly secret group, Neo and the others were not well known and operated separately from the military. On occasion they would be sent out to rescue military POW's, and the former prisoners would return to their camps telling stories about a team of Superheroes, gods and demons that had saved them. Not many knew who they really were, so most of the soldiers denied the stories, and S.E.R.F. Team-1 quickly became a myth.

Elric had been keeping an eye on James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes, so when the spirit received information that Bucky was MIA he immediately told Neo. The S.E.R.F. gave them the location that he was being held at along with other prisoners, and assigned it as a rescue mission. It wouldn't be easy with the base more than 30 miles behind enemy lines, but as James liked to say, "We've been through tougher scrapes than this."

After arriving at the Hydra base, Victor caught a scent and told the team that there was someone else there. "I don't suppose we can just go back and let whoever is out there, handle this?" Victor asked morosely, "I quit that poker game while I was on a winning streak."

"Considering all the other players are here too, I don't think you have to worry about anyone trying to cheat," Neo commented with a chuckle. "Besides, I had the best hand this turn anyway."

"No way your cards where better than mine," the feral man argued. The smirk that Victor gave was all teeth.

Neo just shrugged, "We'll see...You, James, and Jim, along with Elric, will go around the east side where Hephaestus found a gap in security. It's close to the cells so the three of you will start making your way to the prisoners. You will have fifteen minutes and then we'll create a distraction. Elric I want you to move towards the other side of the base, this is a big operation here so there may be important information that you can get your hands on. Hercules, you and I are going to wreck Hydra's toys and create as much trouble as we can at the front doors to draw their attention away from the prison cells. Erik, when Hydra starts to run I want you to disable the vehicles and try to keep them grounded for as long as you can, but stay a safe distance away. Pip, keep a look out and make sure that reinforcements don't get behind us. I don't know where everyone will be coming out but I want our exit secure…Everyone got that?" grunts and affirmatives answered back, "Good, it's time to go."

When the four made it to the east side, James cut a hole in the fence and they slipped in; at first the team had been interested in the mutant's shiny claws, but the awe quickly wore off after a few missions. James, Jim and Victor had caught up with Steve, and he immediately recognized them. They found and freed the prisoners, but when Steve didn't see Bucky he started to leave.

Victor grabbed his arm, "Where are you going?"

"My friends not here, they said he was taken to an isolation ward. I'm going after him," Steve said pulling his arm out of the mutant's grasp.

"Ah, Hell, Neo's not going to like it if I let you leave on your own," Victor said before turning to his brother, "Hey, I'm going with the squirt to track down his friend, you two get the rest of these guys out of here. I'm thinking you should head out the front since those two are probably ready to make some noise by now."

"Alright, we'll meet you out there," James agreed before he and Jim lead the group of prisoners to the exit.

It reached the end of ten minutes just as Neo and Hercules broke through the gate. Hercules beat back Hydra soldiers with his Golden Mace while Neo fired magical arrows from his crossbow to stun others. When Hydra turned the guns of the tanks to the two Neo changed Marvápn into a great sword and cleaved the tanks in two, while Hercules sent them flying with a mighty swing of his mace. A few second later, the prisoners reached the outer doors and came out fighting with James and Jim in the lead.

Meanwhile, Victor followed his nose and they soon turned down a hall where the two men watched as a mousy-looking scientist ran away after seeing them. Victor growled; he hated cowards that decided to play god as long as they could hide behind the biggest bully around.

Elric had worked his way through the files and documents in the labs and had dropped them all into the bag Death had given him, whatever went inside went directly to her. He rounded the corner behind Victor and Steve who didn't notice him and he slipped in behind them and quickly sent anything useful to Death.

"I see you found the 'Captain' and Sergeant Barnes, Victor," the spirit said, "However the Sergeant doesn't seem to be in good health. We should make our way to the others."

"I'm not going to argue there. This fight got a little too quiet," Victor said leading the others out and down the hall in the way that the scientist had gone. "We'll go this way."

"You think that's wise?" Elric asked.

"I think we have better chances in this direction, than going back the way we came," Victor grumbled, and after that no one argued.

There was a short conflict with Schmitt and none of them where happy when he got away, but they focused on trying to find a way out. Victor and Elric lead the way up the stairs. The beam looked fine when Bucky started crossing, but it weakened rapidly and he had to jump before it collapsed. The three on the other side looked at each other and across the gap and knew the only way across was to jump. Steve bent a pipe out of the way before he and the others backed up as far as they could. Steve looked like a heroic figure as he jumped across; Elric made an effortlessly graceful leap to the other side; Victor used all fours to spring forward and pounced like a great cat; and as the three sailed through the air explosions went off under them.

At the front gate the fighting was mostly over, when the four arrived, but the sound of gunshots interspersed with death screams, and furious growls could still be heard near the group of Allied soldiers. All of a sudden, two Hydra soldiers ran back into the open followed by Wolverine. The slower one was quickly taken down by the feral mutant; who crashed into the enemy soldier with his claws extended. The six, foot-long, blades tore through the enemies lungs and sent a gushing spray of crimson liquid into the air. Wolverine yanked his claws out viciously and left the man in his futile struggle to continue breathing, then he pursued the other soldier with the same brutal ferocity and the man was dead before he could cry out. James had fallen into the mindset of Wolverine, who had gone into a berserker rage when he saw a blast from one of the tanks hit the large sword in his mate's hands and send his Green Eyes flying. Wolverine had been so caught up in his red haze that he never saw Neo get back up and keep fighting. With his anger still clouding his mind Wolverine slashed and gouged the already dead man, creating and even bigger pile of gore.

Some of the friendly soldiers were frightened and had pointed their guns at James. Victor saw the men stupidly 'painting targets' on themselves and he grabbed the gun out of the hands of the nearest soldier, "Don't point that at him. Do you want him to go after you next?"

Neo saw the situation wasn't good, "Lower your weapons!" Neo yelled commandingly, and (mostly because of the shock from what they were seeing) the soldiers listened. He made his way past rubble and bodies to James carrying his great sword at his side. When he finally made it to the mutant Neo reached out and gently took hold of James wrist, while the metal claws were still unsheathed. "James?"

The soldiers that had gathered around the two held their breath as they all had a similar thought, 'This kid is going to get himself killed!'

Wolverine had stilled at his Green Eyes outburst, and the younger man's voice saying his name pulled the mutant from his rage. James neck moved stiffly as he glanced at Neo beside him. Relief flooded them both as they saw that the other was fine. The distinct sound of metal claws sheathing could be heard after that.

Neo let go of James with a smile as he teased, "Who knew that the Big Bad Knight, could turn into such a Mother Dragon? Are you still looking for that cave, James?"

"All the time," the feral man grumbled.

Neo just laughed, and then he swung his great sword with its 6 foot blade up onto his shoulder. Walking away toward the exit Neo spoke over his shoulder, "Let me know how that goes for you." Then he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, "Let's head back." Catching a flash of blond hair Neo yelled at the person trying to sneak ahead, "I swear, Victor, if you try to cheat by getting to the table first to check everyone else's cards, you will be singing classic love songs in a red dress when I am done with you!" There was only silence, "Don't think I won't turn your suit pink with purple polka dots, and braid pretty little flowers into your beard. Get back here!"

"Geez, alright, you ornery little sprite!" the blonde mutant said marching out of the shadows of the trees.

Neo nodded and watched as his team gathered around, Erik and Pip still waiting outside, "Hm, well, now that we've settled that, I believe the 'Captain' was just about to lead these men back to base."

"Right," Steve said, "Let's get out of here." I wasn't a rousing speech, but the men cheered and started to follow Steve through the gates and down the road. Neo's team followed at the end of the trudging soldiers and as they passed Erik and Pip joined them.

"I hate Hydra" Erik stated venomously. His English had gotten better and he mostly spoke it around the team, "Hitler and men like him are just monsters pretending to be men."

"Yes," Neo agreed with a nod, "Unfortunately I have seen my fair share of men like him. Fanatics like the Nazis are only capable of causing harm, to both others and themselves. That is why the world needs heroes and people willing to stop the bloodshed. In War men die fighting for peace, but what they are really striving for is to protect their homes. You can't fight for peace, it's a little hypocritical, but you can stop those who would create chaos so that you can let others have peace. To stop people like Hitler, it takes someone brave enough to do what has to be done and smart enough to realize the answer is tolerance. If the world was completely tolerant fanatics would lose their ability to subjugate others and any support for their cause. They only succeed in building up forces because they spread intolerance and fear on both sides."

"Wise words," Hercules commented from Neo's other side, "I have seen some men fight for their causes, and then others who fight for the people they love. It is not hard to guess who had the most to lose, and who fought the hardest. It is in battle that men are truly tested. Some have forgotten that mankind was given such short lives so that they would find greater meaning and strive to achieve more. Any mortal man that faces insurmountable odds, and proves himself a true warrior, will be all the more blessed by the gods and receive his just rewards."

Neo gave a slightly sad smile, "That's how heroes are born. They fight Wars and do the impossible, so that they can protect others…and every man has the potential to be a hero."

"Truly…it is what I miss as a god. Once one has achieved the level of a god, what else is there to strive for?" Hercules voiced in a somber tone before he seemed to shake off his mood and spoke more cheerfully, "I have found my own purpose as the, God of Heroes, by helping mortals achieve their honorable goals and receive the glory of having their stories told through the ages, of course they cannot be chronicled in song like my own, while I humbly allow them to bask in my bronze glow."

"Humble is not a word anyone would use to describe you," the younger god said succinctly.

"That is not true, I can be humble, yet you cannot deny that my feats were heroic. After all, I was only a mere babe when I slew the two snakes that had snuck into my crib."

"You are not the only one who defeated their enemy while still in their crib," Neo argued.

However, Hercules pretended to not hear Neo as he continued speaking, "That reminds me of another time when I…"

Erik stopped listening to the two, as his mind drifted through other stories about men who did the impossible and for the last few months he has been part of a team full of men that defined the word 'hero', in their own way. Erik was finding it strange how Neo would talk about heroes like the man himself wasn't one. He promised himself that if he ever had the chance he would be a hero like the men he secretly called his brothers. The young mutant didn't know it, but he had just chosen a different path and become a Master of his own fate.

 ***Break***

There was a warm welcome waiting for Steve and the soldiers when they got back. Neo and his men were swallowed up into the cheering crowd where they quickly made their way out the other side and back to the tent that Neo had set up on the edge of the military camp. Having a bigger-on-the-inside tent wasn't news for them anymore and the team enjoyed having spacious quarters. The group had been working on missions and knew each other's abilities well enough, (even if only the gods and Satyr knew the truth about Olympus and the other pantheons) and with androids, mutants, living legends and spirits no one was surprised that there was magic too.

The Master of Death had his own soundproof office in the tent where he completed all of the official work Death gave him, 'Leave it up to Death to actually make me go back in time to do paperwork!' Neo didn't like it and he wouldn't have gotten anything done without Elric.

When they slipped into Neo's office, Elric was quick to tell his master what he had found, "Apparently Dr. Arnim Zola is the Nazi's leading scientist in weapons development. He has also explored other fields that Hydra has had him working on, like reproducing Erskine's Super Soldier Serum. This man may have had morals at one point, but his work recently shows a severe decline in humane practices. Death is aware of the doctor and would like us to find him as soon as possible. Our next mission is out of the norm, while officially it is for the apprehension of the Hydra scientist; I have been given specific instructions that Dr. Zola is not to be brought in alive.

"The other records that I found reveal that Johann Schmitt is the leader of Hydra and has recruited Dr. Zola to create weapons of mass destruction to wipe out the major cities of the Allied Forces. Schmitt, like Hitler, has delusions of leading a worldwide order controlled and policed by Hydra. His goals are not original, but he is a formidable opponent. Even though the serum that Dr. Erskine gave Schmitt was imperfect, Johann has reached the peak of human physical abilities, and his mind has only become more calculating and cruel since his transformation. Death has given specific instructions that Schmitt is to remain ignorant of the S.E.R.F. and has taken extra precautions to stay off of Hydra's radar.

"Maintaining anonymity has become the standing order for the team, however, since Rogers has become a public icon he will continue to work closely with the U.S. Military as 'Captain America'. Team-1 will be shadowing the movements of Rogers and his assigned military team.

"There are also positive reports from undercover S.E.R.F. operatives in the government and military, who are responsible for weeding out Hydra spies." Elric had been standing beside Neo's chair and handing the young god the files that Death had sent back from their last mission. He hesitated with the last one, "This is a personnel file that Death has sent to you. She has chosen a replacement for you in the eventuality that you are indisposed." They both knew that this meant Neo would be heading back to the future soon.

Stamped on the cover in red ink was the name "Azriel Nightshade" and when he opened it there was some basic information but not even a photo. There was a small message scribbled on the inside cover that just said; " _I'll take care of them_." Neo smiled; he was happy that Death would be looking over his small family, because that's what the S.E.R.F. team had become, a strange little family.

 ***Break***

Neo wasn't really taken aback at how his time in the past finally ended.

The mission to apprehend Zola meant that Team-1 had to follow Steve and his team onto a speeding train. Once on the train, Elric quickly vanished to fulfill his orders before anyone else found the doctor. The doctor would never make it off the train alive, but notes detailing his project and Schmitt's location would be found by the S.S.R.

Neo had chosen to follow closely behind Steve and Bucky, and was pinned down behind stacks of crates with Bucky as Steve fought a Hydra soldier in a suit of armor in the next car. Zola could be heard giving the order to; "Fire again!"

When Neo was thrown back with the blast that caught Steve and tore a hole in the side of the train, he watched as Bucky picked up Steve's shield and tried to protect his friend. Unfortunately Bucky didn't last long; the next shot from the Hydra weapon blasted the soldier through the opening.

Neo saw the bar that Bucky had been holding break and without really thinking he dove straight for the falling man. He grabbed Bucky and tried to slow down their fall, but the soldier flailed and they rolled through the air hitting the side of the mountain. Neo hit his head on the rocks and couldn't shake the dizziness fast enough as they got closer to the snow covered ground, before impact Neo curled himself around Bucky trying to cushion the landing for the man. A second before they hit the ground, things went dark.

Steve watched his best friend, and the mysterious S.E.R.F. leader, plummet to the bottom of the cliff. It took a lot for Steve to pull himself up off the floor after that, but he was standing by the time the train had made it to their destination and Colonel Phillips. The Colonel hadn't been happy about the doctor committing suicide; but when he saw the look on Steve's face and the fact that Sergeant Barnes wasn't next to the Captain, Phillips just nodded and walked away with the doctor's files.

Steve was grabbed roughly by the collar and brought to face an angry feral mutant. James was giving Steve a look that wouldn't just curdle milk; it would instantly evaporate.

"Where is Neo?" the mutant growled out angrily, as his eyes let his fear show.

"He's gone," Steve had barely managed to speak above a whisper but everyone had heard him. The brunette mutant almost dropped Steve in his shock and said man didn't complain.

"'Gone' can mean many things, Mr. Rogers," Elric stated, and when everyone (Neo's team plus Steve) looked over they saw Death standing slightly in front of the spirit. Steve didn't know who she was but had seen her around Neo's team before.

"…and for Neo, death is not one of them." She finished for the spirit, "You will see him and Mr. Barnes again."

"Bucky's alive?" Steve asked hopefully.

Death gave a small smile and nod, "Neo saved them both from the fall."

It was Hercules who asked the next question, "Have you brought them here? Can we see them?"

"No, and it will be awhile before you can see them. Time has finally recovered from the stress that it had been under, and with the acceptable changes having been made, Neo was sent back to where he belongs. I sent them off to save both of them, which was only possible for Mr. Barnes because of Neo's interference. They may be 'gone', but this is not the 'end' for either of them." Death smiled and it left everyone with a sense of hope.

 ***Break***

Neo landed on something soft and bounced before he settled with Bucky on top of him. The god took the brunt of the impact but he was fine and checked to make sure the other man was alright before he moved. Drawing air back into his lungs, Neo spoke in a faintly husky voice, "You okay?"

"Yeah, I think so…did we actually survive that?" Bucky asked face still tucked against Neo's chest and unwilling to look for himself.

Neo gave himself a minute to take in the oh-so-familiar study, which seemed to be his predetermined destination in Death's Realm, before he answered, "I don't know if 'survive' would be the right term when you consider where we are. But I can definitely say we're not in Oz, Toto."

Bucky let out a surprised chuckle at the joke, "Great, because I might have been friends with a scarecrow at one point, but I cannot follow a yellow brick road to save my life."

They shared a laugh as they separated. Bucky quickly and carefully climbed off of the large couch they had landed on while looking around. Two winged back chairs and a settee were in the middle of the room and he stood in front of a couch that had been pushed against the wall next to a desk. Most of the room was covered in books. He could tell that something was off when his gaze landed on the beautifully-crafted ominous-looking fireplace; aside from the obvious fact they were in the mountains a moment ago.

"I think I'm going to agree with you. That is definitely not a rainbow," Bucky commented eyes glued to the black stone angels on either side of the fire place.

Neo hummed, "I know, and as pretty as it is, it still gives you the creeps, right?"

"Yeah."

"Aren't you boys just full of compliments," a male voice spoke and startled the two.

Bucky and Neo both saw the blonde man at the same time; he was sitting in one of the wing-back chairs that had been empty a minute ago. Black eyes stared at them for a few seconds before the mysterious man seemed to get bored and he looked down at the book he was holding open in his lap.

Neo's curiosity got the better of him, and he let his magic reach out to sense the other man's presence. When his magic brushed against the blonde's aura, Neo recoiled in surprise. Bucky caught the instinctual backwards jerk out of the corner of his eye and threw a curious look at the dark-haired teen still sitting on the couch.

The mystery man addressed Neo without ever lifting his eyes from the book, "That's a bad habit you've got. You're just lucky that you're mind is strong enough to deal with the presence of a being as powerful as Death, or you would be a drooling mess on the floor."

The young god may not have met the man before, but he knew that presence from the vision of the Universe's creation. "Life," Neo said out loud as a way to cement the idea that, yes, he was sitting in the same room as Life.

"Yes," the entity said with a grin and looked back at them, "and occasionally I go by Netzach Vanguard, Zach for short. It's nice to finally meet you, Neo. Do you mind if I call you Neo? I know Death calls you 'Master', but that's more of a pet name and I don't think we are that close, yet."

Neo shook his head to get his brain working again which didn't work very well since all he could manage to say was, "Uh, sure."

"Fantastic, and I'm sure you can figure out why I'm here?" Life gave the young immortal a meaningful look that was lost on Neo. "No?" the blonde said with a teasing tone, "Alright, I guess I can explain it."

In an instant, Life had moved from the chair to sitting next to Neo with his arm draped around the younger being. Leaning in close he whispered in Neo's ear, "You did something you weren't supposed to."

Neo's eyes widened, 'What did I do? Was it bad? Oh no, it has to be bad, because Life is here. Merlin in a Tutu! What is he going to do to me?'

"Easy, Neo," Life soothed, "You can get just as worked up as Death sometimes. It's nothing…bad…but it seems that you do like bending the rules. Technically a living mortal cannot enter Death's domain, unless allowed to by Death. This Realm is the final resting place for souls. You, Neo, brought in a living mortal." Life explained nodding at Bucky, "He's not supposed to be here, but being who you are an exception has been made. You pulled him in here with you and that gave him the allowance that was needed, however as things are now, you're not capable of pulling the both of you out. We could wait for Death, but I am in a position to help you, so I will."

Life ruffled Neo's hair playfully and got up, taking a few quick steps over to the desk and grabbing what looked like the vial that Erskine had given him. Life saw Neo's hand go to the locket around the god's neck, "No, it's not the same one. I didn't take it from you or the doctor, because I didn't have to. I created all the things that have been and all that will be; I am Life, the Beginning. But, I am not the authority in this Realm and because of that I cannot take you back to the living world. I can, on the other hand, help."

"But you said it wasn't possible," Neo reminded. Then he looked at the vial, "Do you want me to take the formula?"

"That's right, you couldn't get out with Mr. Barnes as things stand, but no I am not asking you to take the formula," Life seemed to pause and his eyes shifted to Bucky, "Mr. Barnes will be taking it."

"What?" the soldier asked in shock.

"Fate allowed things to progress this far and now you are faced with a decision that you originally would not have been able to make. Neo unknowingly spared you from an extremely dark path but now you are stuck here, and you have to make a choice. Fate dictated that your destiny is to be the equal of Steve Rogers and if you want to leave you have to meet Fate's two requirements. Steve has reached a peak physical prowess and obtained a mighty weapon, while you have not. With the formula you will be physically on par with your friend and I will grant you a gift that will match Steve's Proto-Adamantium shield. Once you have taken the formula you will have met Fate's first requirement and you will be strong enough to survive traveling back to the living Realm with Neo. But when you leave, you can't go back to your own time; instead you will be going back with Neo to his present and your future. Unfortunately, if you choose not to take the formula, you won't meet Fate's expectations and you cannot leave. I am willing to help, but the choice is yours to make. Stay, or go?"

"I don't know, they both sound like great options," Bucky pointed out with a wry smile, "but I guess if I have to choose…all things aside, leaving sounds like the better alternative."

"Excellent choice," the entity remarked, but the smile that Life gave was not comforting at all. "Now," he said holding up the vial.

"Here…" the vial disappeared.

"We…" Bucky could feel something warm and heavy moving through his body.

"…Go!" a bright light exploded in the room, blinding the soldier and god threw their tightly closed lids, but the light lingered and started to get even brighter.

Bucky could feel whatever was inside of him starting to burn and thrum, like it was trying to burst out from the inside in an explosion. As the light got brighter he couldn't stop himself from shouting in pain.

Neo heard the man yell and tried to search with his hands since the light was too bright. "Barnes!?" he called out.

Bucky couldn't respond because the pain had reached a peak and he felt like a billion knives had stabbed into him all over. He yelled louder a second time and then his mind went completely blank as he passed out.

Slowly the light died down, and Neo started blinking away the black spots in his vision turning them into multi-colored flashes. When he could see the room again, Neo found Bucky hovering in the air. The soldier didn't stay suspended for long and seemed to wake up as his feet touched the rug.

Neo took in the sight of a more muscular and taller, James Barnes, and was reminded of Steve. If it wasn't for their different features and coloring Neo would have said they looked like twins.

"You're looking at me like I grew a second head," Bucky stated sounding out of breath.

"Wow," he managed to finally comment. Then Neo's brow furrowed as he took a better look and stepped closer, "Nargles and dragon dung, come on! What is it with that formula making people taller than me? I'm a GOD, and I'm still shorter than the people around me!"

Bucky released a breathless laugh, "Are you developing a complex on me, Napoleon?"

The young immortal glared at the man, "Shut it Barnes…but honestly?"

"Sorry man," Bucky told Neo, as he slapped him on the shoulder, "just let it go. I felt the same way when I first saw Steve after being captured by Hydra."

"Eh," the god made a noncommittal noise as he shrugged, "I'll get over it, and Steve's going to be happy about it when you two eventually get around to asking each other on a proper date."

Bucky turned his head so fast that it gave Neo whiplash, "Heh, that's funny. You're jokes are getting better and better."

The unimpressed look that Neo shot back expressed his annoyance at Bucky's denial. Neo just held up his hand and started counting off on his fingers as he spoke, "One, I'm pretty sure that double date at the Expo wasn't the first one, am I right? Two, you weren't upset that Peggy was ignoring you that night; you were upset because Steve was. And three, the look in your eyes every time he walks in the room." The young god hated the look of shame on the soldiers face as Bucky turned away. "I don't blame you. Steve is a sweet guy. If he was one of my mates I would adore him, but I think my hands are full with Anthony, Phillip and James."

The soldier turned to the god with a slack-jawed expression, "Wait, did you just say you are dating three men?"

"No," Neo paused until the look of shock faded on the other man's face, then smiled playfully as he continued, "I'm saying that they are my soul mates. Technically we haven't started dating yet. But I've made a date for the four of us on Thursday…Which reminds me," the young immortal addresses Life with his next question, "What day will it be when we get back?"

"Time has been mostly reset. I should be able to help you get back to the school at the same moment you showed up there last time." Life said with confidence before he added, "There are some things you should be aware of."

"Like?"

"Your mate and his brother finished their military service and decided to continue as S.E.R.F. operatives. They have been doing incredible work. A month ago, Death forced them to take a vacation to use up their accumulated days off. She promised that if they step foot in an S.E.R.F. base before three months are up, their next mission would be as bodyguards for the most famous teen idol with the largest number of fangirls.

"Erik remained an operative for years. At one point he even helped to divert a major crisis in Cuba. Soon after that, he retired and moved into the same house as his lover. They are currently running a school for gifted youth.

"Jim was involved in an incident that caused his sytsems to shut down, but he was recovered by S.E.R.F. and has since become the Assistant Director.

"Hercules, Hephaestus and the Satyr, Pip, went on their way after the War."

"What about Steve?" Bucky asked.

Life didn't say anything and the silence was so long that Bucky thought he wasn't going to get an answer. "Captain Steven Grant Rogers was reported K.I.A. after purposefully crashing the Hydra plain he was on, which was carrying bombs to all of the world's major cities. However, there was no body recovered and the S.E.R.F. files on Rogers still list him as an active operative."

"So he's not dead, because the S.E.R.F. would know then," Neo concluded.

"Right," Life answered with a nod.

The god noticed that the soldier had gone silent. Nudging Bucky, Neo reiterated, "He's alive, and wherever he is we will find him. In the mean time let's get out of here and back to the world of the living."

The taller brunette returned Neo's smile with a small one of his own.

It took an hour for Life to coach the young god on how to move between Realms on his own. In the end, all Neo knew was it was like the teleportation he had been doing. The biggest difference was that Death's Realm wasn't a part of the time stream so he had to focus on what time he wanted to show up in, not just what place. When Neo was ready Life helped him focus enough power to transport himself and Bucky.

In the blink of an eye they were standing outside of Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters and Neo couldn't stop from grinning.

"So…this is a boarding school?" Bucky asked from beside him after reading the sign on the gate, "Where are we?"

Neo tilted his head, giving a vague answer, "New York." Bucky had to jog after Neo when the god suddenly took off at a fast walk to the mansion. "Let's knock, shall we?" Neo said as dark grey storm clouds rolled in and load booming thunder claps rang out, but there was no lightning.

 ***Break***

"Hey what's up with the weather?" a boy asked as he stared out the window at a rapidly darkening sky.

The girl standing next to the boy turned to look outside and her face looked apprehensive, "I don't know. Do you think Ms. Munroe is grading our English essays?"

When a booming thunder clap rattled the windows, screams and shouts came from several startled children.

A few seconds later a kind male voice spoke calmly inside of the minds of the mansions inhabitants, " _Everyone, please stay away from the windows, and head to the back of the mansion._ "

The older children started to lead the younger children down the halls. A white haired and mocha skinned woman came from the opposite direction, and other figures were following after her. An elevator opened and two older men came out into the front hall, one in a wheelchair.

"Professor," the woman called as four others stopped behind her, "I can't make it stop, Charles. Do you know what's happening?"

Charles, closed his eyes and the wrinkles on his forehead deepened. "I can tell that someone is outside, but…"

Two loud knocks that were almost masked by two simultaneous rumbles of thunder came from the front door they had gathered in front of. Everyone in the foyer froze. Two more knocks came from the door a second time and the thunder rang louder than before, making the red headed woman in the group jump. The thunder continued to rumble low and long, like a growl from some kind of large beast.

Charles finally nodded to Jean, who knew what the professor wanted, and as the door swung open voices could be heard on the other side.

"…hold your horses, Bucky. Just give them a minute," Neo said as he grabbed the other man's arm and stopped him from walking away. They had both turned away from the door before it was opened and didn't see the group in front of them.

"Excuse me, can I help you?" Charles asked. His voice made the men turn and face him with slightly sheepish smiles. Behind the telepathic mutant, three men stood in shock.

"Hello," the man with green eyes said.

A surprised voice spoke up from behind Charles, "Neo?"

Neo looked puzzled for a moment before he realized who it was, "Erik."

Erik, Victor and James stood in shock as they looked at Neo and Bucky. The two men looked just like they had before they went missing, and suddenly all three mutants were going over that day in their head.

Seeing his mate standing in front of him Wolverine pushed through the group and around Charles to stop inches away from his Green Eyes.

Neo saw the golden color of his mate's eyes and watched the mutant take in deep rapid breathes, trying to inhale as much of the god's scent as he could. The young god could also see the mutant's muscles strain as he fought to keep from grabbing and pulling Neo closer.

However, Neo didn't feel like exercising his control and raised his hands to card them through thick dark hair as he kissed his feral mate. He reveled in the feeling of fiery lust surging through him from that one kiss and he couldn't wait to kiss his other mates.

( _On the other side of the continent Tony and Phil were startled by a sudden feeling of desire that washed over them; the former was curious about the sudden sensation, while the latter was cautious._ )

Wolverine gripped Neo's hips and pulled their bodies together and both let out groans as the inferno burned even hotter. The kiss was wild, gentle, frenzied and passionate with almost seventy years worth of primal longing and need behind it; it lasted less than a minute, but that was long enough for the others around them to feel uncomfortable.

Scott decided that he would be polite about trying to break the two up, so he cleared his throat hoping to get their attention without having to say anything. When it didn't work he did it a second time. Wolverine growled into the kiss and Neo's lips twitched into a smirk as he tried not to laugh. The third time Scott pretended to cough loudly.

Neo decided to be an arse, and conjured up a handful of hard candies, that he then hurled at the shades wearing mutant.

The sweets pelted Scott in the chest painfully, before they fell to the floor. He let out a quiet "ouch" and rubbed his chest, as the others snickered.

Neo couldn't hold in his laugh anymore and threw his head back to let out a breathy chuckle. Neo glanced at Scott with half-lidded eyes full of amusement. "You should get that checked."

James gently peppered soft kisses on the olive skin of Neo's neck as the mood slowly died. Then he stood with one arm around the god and pulled him into the large mansion. Bucky followed after and gave a smile to the group as he closed the door behind him.

"So, I take it you are a friend of James?" Charles asked the dark haired man in the feral mutant's arms.

James smirked at the other mutants in the foyer as he said, "If you want to get technical Chuck, he's my mate."

Charles raised an eyebrow and looked every inch a professor as he said, "Interesting, you've never mentioned a mate before. Is this some instinctual feeling derived from your mutation? Or is it an aesthetic appeal?"

Neo laughed at the shocked look on Bucky's face and the blush darkening Ororo's checks. It was just icing on the cake as Charles realized what he said and quickly tried to amend his words, "I am so sorry, that was rude. I simply meant…"

"That's alright, Charles," Neo said before the bald man could say anything else, "and yes, it has to do with instinct but it's more than that."

A curious frown formed on the older mutant's face, "Have we met before?"

"Yes and no…and then again, not yet," the Master of Death answered with a mischievous smile, "Please allow me to introduce myself, I am Neo Thorson, and it is a pleasure to meet you."

After a quick handshake Neo walked over to Erik and ruffled his hair like he would have when the man was younger, "So, you're retired and running a school? I hope you're a better teacher than me. I couldn't get through my student's thick heads."

"I was one of those students," the silver haired man replied in an annoyed tone, as the corner of his mouth tilted into a grin.

"Oh, I know," Neo said as he gave Erik an (complete unconvincing) innocent look. They shared a laugh before Neo turned to Victor, "Still cheating at cards no doubt," he joked good-naturedly.

"I had to cheat when it came to playing you, _Boss_ ," the blonde said with a smirk, "or I would be the only one who wasn't."

"I never…"

"I know," Victor spoke, interrupting the indignant exclamation, "You were just too lucky. I thought it was odd at first since you didn't even know how to play but I've got a nose that can smell when something's off. You didn't cheat but no one could win against you if they played fair, so everyone else got really good at cheating."

"Which is actually the reason I stick to playing chess with Erik," Charles added with a smile that crinkled the laugh lines around his mouth and eyes.

Neo glanced at Erik who smiled unrepentantly. Then he looked at his mate and James held up his hands in surrender, "I can't help it if I can smell a bluff a mile away."

"Uh, Professors?" a young female voice asked from down the hall. Everyone in the foyer turned to see a small mop of brown hair and brown eyes peeking around the corner.

Charles smiled reassuringly at the young girl, "Hello, Kitty, did you need something?"

"The thunder scared, Selena," the girl replied.

"I am sure Ororo will be there in a moment," the white haired woman gave a nod to Charles, "Could you please tell the others that everything is alright and lessons will begin shortly?"

"Sure, Professor," she replied before pulling her head back around the corner, and the adults could hear footsteps moving away.

"Excuse me," Ororo said as she followed after the girl.

"…and we have classes we need to get to," the redhead mentioned before she took her boyfriends hand and they both left.

Victor thumped his brother on the shoulder, "That's our cue, Romeo. We have Danger Room training."

James looked at Neo and got a smile before the young god said, "I'm kind of tired, it wasn't easy getting here, and I'm sure Bucky feels the same."

The young sergeant nodded, "I could use a little shut-eye."

Charles spoke up after that, "Erik, will you show them to the guest rooms on the second floor before you head to your class?"

"Of course, Charles," he replied to his lover before leaning down to briefly kiss the man's cheek. He stood and looked at the two before he asked, "Do you need a change of clothes?"

"Yes, please," Bucky admitted.

Neo shook his head, "No, thank you."

"This way, and we can pick-up a spare set of clothes on our way," Erik said and directed them down the main hallway.

Bucky quickly followed the older man, while Neo reluctantly pulled away from James.

"I'll see you later," James said to the green-eyed god.

"See you later," Neo agreed before he too followed after Erik.

Erik found the new super-soldier a set of sweats to change into and showed him a room. After that he opened the door to Neo's room and held it open for him.

Neo spoke before Erik could turn and leave, "Charles is good for you."

Erik smirked, "Why do you say that?"

"I can tell, I'm good at reading people, and I never wanted to mention it before…but you had this anger in your heart. It grew every time we took down a base or freed a Camp. I was afraid that it would consume you before you found something to temper your rage, which is why I tried so hard to keep you away from the action," Neo admitted to the man. "But that anger is gone. It was Charles, what's it?"

"Yes, I'm lucky to have him," the older replied with a smile on his face, "Charles showed me "the point between rage and serenity" and that was also when I found the connection to my true power you told me about."

"I'm happy for you, Erik," Neo said and gave the man a pat on the shoulder.

"Thank you," Erik said before he finally left.

 ***Break***

Neo woke-up later, to find his mate sitting in a chair next to his bed. The god could tell that it was dinner by the smell in the air, so he got Bucky before all three of them headed downstairs. They met Ororo on the way. When they entered Neo witnessed the same accident and saved the large teen from getting covered in food for a second time. The occupants of the room were just as curious about how he levitated the food as before, and his conversation with Charles and the others was almost the same, with the addition of Bucky and Raven. The later was living at the mansion and was the fine arts teacher.

Then they were interrupted by Fenrir who quickly hopped into his cousin's lap and began whining. Jormungandr was sneaky when he appeared out of no-where, and Elric revealed himself after the serpent god. Zoul appeared frightening some of the students. Then Neo offered the hungry shadow wolf the rest of his food before Argyros arrived and perched on Neo's shoulder.

Luckily for Jean, she didn't offer to read James mind this time around, and Neo didn't get angry. But Neo's luck ran out when he again woke-up to hear Rogue sneaking down the hall and James having a nightmare in the other room. He was able to react quicker this time and no one was hurt. After that everyone fell asleep in James room, even Bucky, who had been dragged along by Fenrir when the wolf noticed him in the room.

Everything was much the same the next day. Elric insisted on using the china, and Jean argued with the spirit before she gave up. The old team mates joked about how the spirit was the same during the War, which made Neo curious about the similarities between the Elric from the past and the one in the present.

After breakfast Charles gave them a tour of the mansion. Fenrir ended the fight between John and Bobby, but this time Neo decided to spice things up before he left. Neo followed after the old professor, but the god turned back at the last second and cast a sticking charm on Bobby before he cast a tripping jinx on John, then watched as the redhead landed in the blondes' arms.

"Bro, get off me," Bobby hissed as he tried to push John away.

John struggled in vain before he replied, "Dude, shut up, I'm trying."

"What do you mean 'you're trying', just let go."

"You let go!"

Neo was stifling his chuckles as he caught up to Charles a few seconds later, and the Son of Hermes ignored the questioning look he received as the voices behind them got louder.

"I can understand your intentions, but I have to ask that you undo what you did, sooner rather than later," Charles said.

The professor's words made Neo pause and stare as the wheelchair rolled on, before a mischievous smile appeared on his face and he started walking again, "So…twenty-four hours?"

"Sooner," Charles called back.

"Okay, okay, twelve it is." Neo's laugh echoed down the halls.

 ***Break***

"You're absolutely evil," Jormungandr commented as he watched Neo, who was watching a specific pair of teens with a smirk on his face.

Across the room, Bobby and John were blushing bright red as their friends laughed at them. No one knew why they were stuck together but it was funny to watch them. Bobby had refused to skip lunch because he was hungry, so they had gone to the dining hall. When they got there, it was tricky to figure out how they would eat while they were stuck together. Bobby finally got tired of John whining, since it was giving him a headache to go with his empty stomach, so the ice mutant grabbed the flame mutant's waist and sat the slightly smaller teen in his lap when they found a seat.

Neo took his eyes off of the other table to look at his cousin, "Evil sounds so harsh. I prefer maniacally mischievous."

There was a huff of laughter from Neo's left, "You would," James said as he tried to hide his smirk behind his coffee cup.

Charles decided to speak up from his position at the head of the table, "I think it has been long enough, Neo."

"Alright, fine," the god said with a roll of his eyes and a wave of his hand. Bored, Neo turned the salt shaker in his hands until his phone chimed. He looked at the screen and saw that it was a text from Luke.

*Where did you disappear to, this time? Chiron is hounding me about you skipping training. - L*

*I'm not far, actually. I'm in New York. – N*

*Oh yeah, where are you? – L*

*A boarding school in North Salem called 'Xavier's Institute for Higher Learning'. – N*

*Oh man, it sounds really boring; they need to come up with a better name. Anyway, how long are you going to be gone? – L*

Neo let out a sigh before his fingers moved across the screen again, *I'm seriously thinking about not going back, Luke. Sorry, I'm just not in the mood to put up with weird looks or people talking behind my back. You get it, right? – N*

*Yeah, I get it. Just, don't be a stranger. I will drag you back if I have to, especially if Chiron keeps worrying about you. – L*

*Don't use Chiron as your excuse. Anyway, I should be back Friday, but I've got a date tomorrow with my three gorgeous mates, so don't wait up ;) – N*

*Mates? Wow, and three on one date? You're a lucky bastard, and obviously a Son of Hermes. Just, don't forget protection. Have you had "the talk" yet? I know Dad probably hasn't said anything, so as your Big Bro…please tell me I don't have to, it would be traumatizing for the both of us. Actually I think it would be less awkward if you got it from Chiron instead of me, and he's half horse. – L*

*I'm going to pretend that you didn't say that while I mentally scrub that image from my brain. Yes, I know about using protection, so Chiron won't have to say a word (oh gods, now I need more brain bleach). I'll talk to you later, once I forgive you for mentally scaring me for life. – N*

*Sorry, but it had to be said. I'll talk to you later, good luck on your date. – L*

*Talk to you soon. – N*

 ***Break***

Neo was back in the garage watching James and Scott fighting, again. "The more things change…" Neo mumbled to himself.

"What?" Jean asked standing beside him.

"Nothing," he dismissed her before breaking up the fight (again) and then getting the expected call from Tony. Neo explained to Tony that he had found two other mates and that he was planning out a date with them tomorrow. The billionaire, called Jarvis to clear his schedule for the next day and set a reminder for their date before he hung up the phone.

Neo smiled, and walked with James to the next class, that evening everyone sat at the dinner tables eating and talking. It was familiar and strange to Neo, all at the same time, and as he raised his cup to his lips he couldn't help smiling as he whispered, "…the more they stay the same."

That night Rogue slept peacefully in her bed, no one left the mansion, the trains ran on time to their destinations, and best of all—Neo didn't get his brains blown out by someone he now thought of as his little brother. The only person that disturbed the younger god that night was, Victor, who squirmed around in bed after he was pulled into the sleepy pile of three gods, his brother, a super-soldier and a shadow wolf.

 ***Break***

On Thursday morning, Neo extracted himself for the pile of sleeping bodies and made his way to the kitchen where he found Elric. The spirit had already started on breakfast for everyone in the mansion; later Ororo and Jean came in and helped to prepare breakfast. The food was ready almost an hour before anyone else was due to wake up, so the god cast a preservation charm, before he took aside his guardian spirit for a talk.

"I've been on a few dates before, but that was with one person at a time," Neo fretted, "How am I going to find a place that Anthony, Phillip and James will like?"

Gold eyes watched Neo for a second before Elric replied, "James is a slightly rugged individual, but do not forget, he is an S.E.R.F. operative. I'm sure that he can handle himself in any situation. Phil is also an agent, so he will have no problem wherever you plan to go; and Anthony has already shown you that he is comfortable in both a casual and formal setting."

"Yes, but the press likes to follow Tony around, and I don't want to compromise Phil's or James' covers," the god stated in frustration. Seriously, he was tired of reports putting their noses where they are not welcome.

"That should not be a problem for you, Master," the spirit reminded, "But, you can always ask your mate to remove his glamour."

Neo's brow furrowed as he looked curiously at the spirit, "What are you talking about?"

"You already know, you are as sensitive to magic and deception as I am. Phil Coulson, is not who he seems," after he was finished speaking, Elric went to gather another tray of food and take it to the dining room.

As he watched Elric walk away, Neo seemed un-phased by the revelation. 'That would make sense,' he thought as he followed the spirit and the smell of delicious food into the other room.


	9. Chapter 8

The Law of Three

Chapter 8

Neo noticed that breakfast was more quiet than usual that morning, but then Argyros flew in with a package form Luke. A note read, "Just thought you could use these, have fun!" The god laughed and peaked inside curiously. He had enough time to realize what was inside the box, and then quickly closed the lid before Fenrir could catch a glimpse over his shoulder.

Neo's face was red as he glanced over at his butler/guardian spirit. "Remind me to kill my dear brother, next time I see him," the young god said with fake cheer.

Victor wore a smirk as he asked, "That wouldn't have anything to do with the smell of leather, would it?"

The blush on Neo's cheeks spread across his whole face before he replied, "I-I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't smell anything (Total Bull, he has god-like senses)." As he rubbed one hand nervously over the back of his neck, Neo used the other to cast a spell and hid the, now miniature, package in his jacket pocket. Then he stood and looked at his mate, "James, are you ready to go?"

Said mutant raised an eyebrow and looked at his half eaten breakfast before he shrugged, "Sure."

"Wait, you're leaving now?" Fenrir asked surprised.

"Yes, I have some…things that I need to do," Neo said, then looked at Elric, "I'll need you to finish the final preparations. Can you be done by two o'clock?"

Elric set down the silver tray he had been using before he answered, "That should be more than enough time, Master."

The god let out a sigh of relief, "Good, I'm not sure what time I will be done, but I trust you to have everything ready."

Victor's voice was full of sarcasm as he grinned toothily, "So, you running off has nothing to do with hiding that box?"

Neo glared at the mutant for a moment before the look slowly morphed into a grin, "Not a thing," he replied while releasing a pulse of magic, and then he turned and left the room.

Jean let out a gasp and the others at the table turned to see what was going on. Jean never noticed the looks since she was too busy staring at Victor. The others followed her line of sight; the few that had the confidence to laugh out loud burst into hysterics, while the rest tried to suppress their reaction at what they saw.

The blond didn't like being laughed at and gazed around in angry-confusion, until a hand landed on his shoulder and Victor looked to see his brother.

James shook his head with a look of sympathy, "You should know better by now."

Victor's look of confusion deepened, "What are you talking about?"

James took a few minutes to look around before he found something. He picked up the empty silver tray Elric had set down and handed it to his brother before following his mate.

Victor glanced down at the serving ware in his hands, and then did a double take. Staring back at him from the silver tray was one _ugly_ woman, and then he realized it was him-dressed as Goldilocks with his (previously short) hair in big curly ringlets.

Mystique was able to dial down her laughing fit to random giggles long enough to say, "It could be worse…(chuckle)…I'm never going to think of that story the same way again…(scoff)…and neither are the students." She pointed a blue finger at the other tables, and that's when the teachers realized the children had gone quiet.

The ever curious children had heard the noise coming from their professors and looked to see what was going on. By the time Victor turned around, all of the students were watching him.

" **NEO!** "

"Hah, serves you right," Neo commented, as he heard Victor's roar from down the hall which was quickly drowned out by the pandemonium of students laughing.

A hand caught Neo's wrist and he was pulled back into a hard body. "You are so bad," James whispered huskily into his mate's ear.

Neo turned around revealing the gleam of laughter in his eyes, "Only when I want to be," he paused and tried to look more serious, "but we need to go."

"Where are we going?"

"I'm planning a date for this evening and I need to make sure that everything is ready, while Elric takes care of the details. I just have to make two or three stops." The god revealed, and then Neo's face suddenly took on a thoughtful expression, "Which reminds me, I need to go talk to a horse about a man. Come on."

"Wait, what?" James puzzled over everything his mate had just said as the green eyed god pull him along and out the door.

Once outside, Neo turned around, "I'm not sure I can tell you without angering my family."

James just gave him a curious look.

'Aw, with the face and the eyes…ugh, alright,' Neo thought with a sighed, "Look, I never got the chance to tell you about my family and my parents, which is something I will do, but only when I'm absolutely sure it won't _literally_ cause World War 3 and/or an intergalactic confrontation."

"You're not making any sense, darling."

"I know," Neo huffed with a role of his eyes, "It's complicated…I'm complicated."

James didn't know where his mate was going, but he did know one thing, "I'm a 19th century, feral mutant, who works for a secret agency that is run by Death, I can do complicated."

A small smile showed on Neo's lips. "Alright, but don't say that I didn't warn you." There was a sudden disoriented feeling, which had James looking around to find that they were in the middle of the woods.

"That's nothing new," James commented, remembering Neo using his ability during the War.

"Just wait," the younger man muttered as he led James' to the barrier. The mutant met no resistance, since Neo had remembered how Remus and Sirius were allowed into the camp with a "blessing" from a goddess, and technically Neo is a god.

Neo paused at the top of the hill to let his mate take in the sight. Camp Half-Blood was the same as usual, and he watched James take in the view of demigods in training.

"This is a summer camp for the half-blood children of the Olympian gods, some of them even call it home," the young god explained, "but unlike a regular summer camp that teaches wilderness survival, everyone here is trained in how to survive terrifying mythical creatures…and wilderness survival."

"So you are telling me that gods are real?" he continued after receiving a nod, "That still doesn't explain why we are here?"

"I have to talk to Chiron." It took a few seconds before Neo acknowledged James, who was waiting for more of an explanation. "And…I know about this place because I'm a god." Neo didn't know when he had averted his eyes, but when he glanced back up he saw the dubious look on his mates face. Neo tried to give an annoyed glare but it was more of a pout, "What? I'm telling the truth."

James' heightened senses didn't pick up anything that indicated his mate was lying, so he nodded, "I can tell. I'm just wondering why you didn't say anything before now."

The young god shrugged, "I just didn't know how. I mean, even with everything else that has happened; I wasn't sure you would believe me."

"You should have trusted me, darlin'," James said with a frown, "I'm not going to suddenly believe in gods because someone tells me to," then he lightly lifted the gods chin, capturing green eyes with his steely blue, "but I'll always believe in you."

Neo smiled and hugged the older mutant around the shoulders. "You want to know what else is true?" he asked with an impish look as he pulled back to look James in the face.

"What?"

"My unofficial uncles are standing right behind you," Neo replied before letting go.

The ex-soldier turned around to see two men, one blonde and the other dark-haired, wearing grins.

Neo quickly made introductions, "James, this is Remus Lupin…" the blonde gave a nod, "…and Sirius Black…" the second man waved, "…Sirius is my godfather, and they are both family friends. Remus, Sirius, this is James Howlett, my mate."

Sirius stepped forward, "Well, look at you, Pup. You leave to save another world and return with a boyfriend. I guess the hero does always get the girl, well man in this case."

Neo blushed, "Honestly, Padfoot."

When Remus didn't say anything, Sirius glanced back at his old friend. The wizard noticed how the blonde's proverbial hackles were raised and that the shape-shifter was locked in a staring contest with their new acquaintance. "Moony? What's wrong?"

It was James that answered with his eyes still on Remus, "It's an animal thing…I ain't looking for trouble, bub."

"Then there will not be any," Remus replied.

After those words both males slowly seemed to relax.

Sirius chuckled forcefully and changed topic, "So Neo, where did you and James meet?"

Neo paused for a second, "I guess it was during World War 2, but technically it was here in New York, though I'm not sure if that counts since it was in an alternate time-line. Then again, I did go all the way back to the 19th century, hmm…"

The two wizards stared at the young god for a moment. Finally, Sirius broke out into a smile, "That already sounds like a story worthy of a marauder. Tell us, Pup, tell us!" The Black Lord pulled on his godson's arm like a child and gave his most potent puppy dog eyes.

Neo caved a few minutes later, "Oh alright! But when I'm done I have to go talk to Chiron."

It took the god almost an hour to explain what had happened since he left for Asgard. He had been interrupted once at the beginning of his story by his brother and the Son of Poseidon showing up. In no time, Luke and Percy were hanging on his every word, just like the rest of the group.

James had not heard about Asgard yet, or his other two mates but at the thought his inner beast growled in anticipation. Then he heard about the two floozies Neo caught in Tony Stark's, one of _their mates_ , bed; James could think of a few more choice names, even if Neo was too kind to call the women what they were. Still, James wasn't letting Tony get away with what he did so easily, it looked like he had some ground rules to set, soon.

Finally finished with his story, the god took a breath and pecked his feral mate on the cheek, "I'm sorry that I have to leave you alone with them." Neo stood up from his spot on the grassy hill, "I really have to go talk to Chiron now. We have a date tonight and I have a lot to plan before then." He had started to turn and leave before he stopped and faced Luke with a strange look.

A chill went down the older brother's back as Neo stared at him, "What?"

"I got your package this morning," the younger brother said sharply.

Luke's eyes widened at that and he quickly stood up, "Whoa, dude, that was a joke."

Neo's face broke out into an evil grin, "I got that, but I'm curious, who should I tell about your sense of humor, Dad or Chiron?"

"You wouldn't!"

"I guess you'll have to find out." Neo disappeared in the blink of an eye and appeared on the porch of the big house.

Everyone else on the hill was staring at the empty spot where Neo had been. Then Percy turned to Luke, "What package?"

Luke actually blushed and looked away from the younger demigod.

 ***Break***

After finding Chiron, Neo asked to see the Camp records. The centaur was curious but allowed Neo to look at the old registers. Neo scoured the piles of old dusty manuscripts, but he didn't find what he was looking for, and put everything back in its place before going back to Chiron.

"You look disappointed, Neo. I'm guessing that you didn't find what you were looking for?" the half-man questioned.

"No," the young god said with a sigh.

"Perhaps you can tell me who you are looking for. I hate to admit it, but I am rather old, perhaps I can help."

"I don't know, Chiron."

The bearded centaur smiled kindly, "Try me."

'What have I got to lose,' Neo thought, "I just doubt that you have ever heard of a Director Fury, or Phillip Coulson."

"Hm…then it should surprise you to know that I do recall the two men you are speaking of, though not in the way you are obviously thinking."

"Really?"

"Yes. SHIELD was revealed to me after its formation. The existence of the gods may be hidden form normal men, but the gods are aware of the machinations of the mortals." Chiron gestured Neo to another door, "We keep records on the mortals in that room. For you to go looking through the registry…am I right in assuming that you believed they were somehow involved with the Camp?"

"You know I have been looking for my mates," Neo started, "Phillip Coulson is one of them. When I first came in to contact with Phil in Malibu I wasn't able to sense it, but that changed when I met him again in New Mexico. The pull was almost imperceptible but I was able to finally sense that he was my soul mate.

"Elric had to point out the fact that Phil is wearing some kind of glamour, before I realized _it_ was what had been blocking the connection. It's not just a basic illusion, however, because it's also hiding his smell and presence. In New Mexico I could barely feel the pull, but I still let my magic test it. It was like going up against a shield, although it did have weak points, like cracks that had occurred over time. My magic was able to get through the shield. When I could finally sense the soul bond it was like I was in heaven and hell, I had just found one of my soul mates but it wasn't enough to form a proper connection. I'm not even sure that Phil could feel it. The bond is weak and I am constantly worried that it could break."

"I see…that may be due to a previous incident in Chicago. Though I'm aware that not every detail will be included, you may find out more in the files, it has been a long time since I have looked through them myself."

Chiron went back to what he was doing and Neo headed for the room he had pointed out. Inside, the room was cluttered with floor to ceiling file cabinets and stacks of boxes. Groaning in despair, Neo chose to speed things up and summoned the files on Phillip Coulson and Fury. Neo didn't know how much time had passed as he read through everything he found, but it had been well spent. Apparently Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury _Junior_ , raised Marcus Johnson, had been friends with Phillip J. "Cheese" Coulson (and Neo was so going to use that nickname later) since their time as US Army Rangers. The files even noted Phil's obsession with Captain America and other super heroes. Neo had so much blackmail, that he honestly didn't know where to start; Phil was lucky he was Neo's soul mate and Fury was lucky that he was Phil's friend because Neo had a lot of dirt on both men.

Speaking of dirt, it was in one of the last files that Neo found what he was looking for. Apparently, while still a Junior Agent, Phil had been given a mission is Chicago. Bodies had been found mauled to death and it was listed as an 'animal attack'; Phil was sent in to monitor a group of FBI agents assigned to the case, SHIELD suspected the agents had gone rogue. Phil had been strictly ordered to monitor the Feds only, but he had still made note of the evidence that was found by the agents. Neo was almost certain it was werewolves because of the fur and bloody paw-prints. Fortunately, Phil had stayed out of things as the case went on but he did manage to make contact with a Chicago PD consultant, who ran an occult shop.

'An occult shop,' Neo pondered, 'Mundane human's sometimes find magical objects by chance…and sometimes even phony magic shops can acquire real supernatural artifacts. Phil could have picked-up something at that shop, maybe a protection charm? Wait, if there were werewolves hanging around, it might have been something to mask a human from supernatural beings. That's it! Some sod, two-bit shopkeeper, had mucked up and given Phillip a magical artifact that was interfering with the soul bond!'

After copying the files, Neo hid them in his locket, and finally emerged from the Big House covered in dust from head to toe. Neo found James sitting on the porch with a can of soda; it wasn't James' usual drink of choice when relaxing but the mutant was used to the limited beverage options when around children. Casting a cleaning charm on himself, the young god casually walked up and sat himself in James lap, before plucking the can out of his hands and taking a sip of the refreshingly cold drink.

"Done already?" the older asked.

Neo let his head fall onto his mates shoulder, "My brain is fried. I am good at cramming information into by head in a short amount of time, even if I never showed my intelligence before, but if I wasn't a god my head would be throbbing right now."

James hand came up to rub the back of Neo's neck. Strong fingers expertly massaged the muscles at the base of his mate's skull, and Neo practically melted against him.

"You have no idea what you started," Neo mumbled into the collar of James' shirt. "This will definitely become a habit, a very _pleasurable_ habit."

James just continued to rub the back of Neo's neck, until they were both stirred from their leisure by the conch sounding. Neo pulled out his phone and saw that it was lunch time.

The god reluctantly pulled away and got to his feet, "Are you ready to go? I'm done here, and we have less than two hours, so I'm going to say goodbye before I call Elric."

"I'm good," James affirmed before standing and following Neo to the pavilion.

Sirius and Remus insisted that they stay for lunch. An hour later they were standing by the road outside the strawberry fields as Elric pulled up in a stretch-Hummer. The guardian spirit skillfully navigated New York traffic and was able to make it to SHIELD's New York headquarters at 1:48 pm. After Elric mentioned going to the 12th floor, the ex-soldier and god quickly went inside and James let Neo lead him past the front desk and to the elevators. Once on the 12th floor Neo followed his weak mate bond to Phil, and paused when his magic told him there was more than one person in the room.

Pulling out his phone, Neo waited until it was exactly 2 o'clock then he knocked on the door twice before just opening it.

 ***Break***

Phil and Clint were in a debriefing with Fury on the latest mission when there was a knock on the conference room door. He saw that Nick was ready to yell at the person who would dare to interrupt the Director in a meeting but the door opened before Fury could begin his tirade. Phil masterfully kept his face from looking surprised when he saw who was on the other side of the door.

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting," Neo said as he smiled unapologetically, "It's Thursday and Phil said he would be done at two o'clock."

"What do you think you're doing? Who the hell are you?" Fury asked as he worked himself up into a rage, "And who the _hell_ let you in here?"

"Oh, pardon me. I'm Neo Thorson and this is my m-boyfriend, James. We're here to pick up Phillip for our date."

"I remember you!" Clint exclaimed. "You were in Coulson's office talking about going on a date with," the archer glanced to Phil and then back to Neo, "…yeah…but wait, do you mean that Coulson is coming with you while you go on a date with your boyfriend, or that you're going on a date with him and your boyfriend at the same time?"

"The second one," the dark haired teen explained happily, "but we still have to pick up Anthony, as well."

Clint's face went blank and he just stared at the senior agent before he said, "Wow, I did not see that coming. I didn't know you swung that way and it's a little kinky, seriously _three_?" Clint held up his hands when Coulson shot him an intense glare, "But, whatever float's your boat. I just think I should commend you on your stamina."

"Shut up, Agent Barton," Fury barked at the man before looking at the intruders, "…and I don't care about some _date_ , I want to know how you got past all the agents down stairs and into a classified meeting."

Neo blinked repeatedly, "Uh, we walked?" was his reply before he turned to Phil, "We can wait if you need more time, or try tomorrow?"

Phil wondered if it was worth incurring Fury's wrath, "There's no need I'll be done soon. However this is a private meeting, you will have to wait outside."

Neo perked up and gave Phil a smile, "Sure!" Then he turned to James and they left the room, closing the door behind them.

Coulson caught the look on Fury's face and internally winced.

"Explain, now," Fury ordered.

Phil would have sighed but he maintained his professional façade, still he knew that he was not getting out of there anytime soon.

Outside the room James chuckled, "You are such a troublemaker, darlin'."

"I know," the god admitted with an impish smile. "Now come on, this is a top secret base. I want to see what kind of toys they keep locked away here." Neo grabbed his hand and practically ran down the hall.

James could only shake his head as he was tugged along by a god who was up to no good. The mutant wondered why no one had caught them yet, but when he remembered who he was with, James figured it would be better to just let it go.

What the mutant didn't know was; Death had already asked Neo to recover a certain relic. However, the entity had not told him where to find it in order to appeal to Neo's fun-loving side. She did helped by reminding Neo to use the Death Ring on himself and James so they wouldn't be interrupted on their little stroll.

A few minutes after leaving the briefing room, something caught Neo's attention. James followed the raven haired teen to a small break room two floors down from where they had met their mate. He leaned against the doorframe and waited. The mutant was pretty sure that Neo was nowhere near done with his little field trip.

While standing there, his mind began to wonder. James had recently heard about his other mates and also how one had confused Neo at the beginning. In the little time that he had been in the room with Phil Coulson, James' inner beast had been restless and his instincts screamed, **mate**. The only problem was how faint the scent had been, like they were a mile apart instead of in the same room.

' **New mate** ,' Wolverine (inner animal) thought as he contemplated Agent Phil Coulson. The want/need to mate was driving him to base instincts, **'Agent is mate. Agent has weak scent. Go to Agent, make scent stronger with own scent, claim! Mark! Mate!** '

James took a deep breath and tried to calm his mind by reminding himself that Neo was also one of his mates and he was close.

Wolverine's thoughts changed slightly, ' **Yes, Green-Eyes and Agent, both mates, both here. Take Green-Eyes from here, back to Agent, mate both.** '

James hated it when he agreed with his instincts because it made it hard to resist; but as much as he wanted to, he couldn't mate with Neo and Phil in the middle of SHIELD's headquarters. He thought about still needing to meet their other mate. James knew that Neo had been planning to bring them all together and he just needed to wait, then he would have all of his mates in the same room.

Wolverine pulled back at that thought and started to settle, ' **All mates together at same time. Yes, if wait, can mate all at same time, together. Can wait, and then mate all mates. Can wait, will wait.** '

Neo appeared none the wiser to James inner conflict as he rummaged through a small cabinet above the only microwave in the room; he had already gone through the refrigerator. He found a rather large package of beef jerky. Glancing at the stick-on label that read 'Hill', he shrugged before tossing the package to James.

"What's this?" the mutant asked. James fell into step as Neo walked past him, while he opened the bag and took a whiff of the contents.

"You didn't get to finish breakfast before I turned your brother into a drag queen, so I figured you might want a snack," Neo replied calmly. "Well that and mischief is mischief, no matter how small. If I can't mess with a few government agents while inside their secret base, how will I live with myself?"

Neo hopped in the elevator a moment later and randomly hit a button never even looking at the floor number. When the doors opened he suddenly got the feeling that he was on the right floor. He could feel Death wanting to pull and push him as he walked down the halls until he came to an unmarked door just like all the other doors in the building. The entities excitement suddenly hit him and froze him in his tracks, like a shockingly chilly winter breeze. He swung the door open without a care and waltzed inside. The room was full of boxes, making it seem like a common storage room. James saw the cramped space and stayed in the hall. Neo walked to the end of the room taking in everything. When he went to turn around he caught the sight of something out of the ordinary. A black, heavy duty, case was sitting behind the last box on one of the shelves at the very back.

" _That's it_ ," he heard Death whisper to him. Pulling the case down, the god set it on the ground before opening it. He glanced up to James, who was staring curiously back, as a blue glow illuminated his face but the mutant couldn't see what was inside.

'What is it,' he mentally asked, while staring at the glowing blue cube that was radiating an immense amount of energy.

" _A container,_ " the being answered, " _It it what is inside, that is important._ "

'So, how do I open it?'

" _Open is not the right word. It can either be shattered or the contents extracted. Do not break it!_ " Death exclaimed, as Neo thought to do just that. " _We do not need anyone knowing that it is missing._ "

Death became visible to Neo only, and he saw her reach forward and put her hand above the blue cube. The cube seemed to warp at the top before a small round stone seemed to faze through the top of the cube. Death closed her hand around the round object, " _I will be taking this with me, and it will not be missed for some time since the cube is an amazing piece of technology that still has enough energy to last millennia. Hurry and put the case back, Master. It's almost time for you to go._ "

James hadn't seen what happened, so when Neo looked back at him, he simply said, "I don't think they will let you walk out with that, darling, you should put it back."

Neo smirked looking like the cat that got the cream, "Quite right, I'll just return it, shall I?" The tone was suspicious, but when the older man watched the young god return the case, James didn't say anything to his mischievous mate.

They took the elevator back up to the 12th floor and waited patiently for Phil, not even Fury would know what had happened that day.

 ***Break***

Phil was relieved when Fury finally dismissed him and Agent Barton, but as an agent he didn't outwardly react. It was now 3:30 pm; meaning he had just stayed an extra hour and a half explaining _in extreme detail_ (twice) every encounter he had had with Neo Thorson to date. He understood his old friend better than anyone, but sometimes even he thought Nick acted a little over the top. He wasn't going to use the word 'paranoid' because he knew the people out to get Fury; still he could probably get away with calling the man 'eccentric' given his choice in wardrobe.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he saw the two people standing outside the door. He had almost forgotten about their 'date'. Phil had already seen a lot in his life, so a relationship between more than two people, not new, but he still wasn't convinced on the whole soul mate thing; still Neo Thorson was an unknown that he needed to figure out, he would stick to the deal and get the information he was looking for then he would play it by ear. It was hard to believe that he had decided to stay silent about whatever secrets the man was going to reveal, but he had agreed so there was nothing to do until the loophole came into effect. But, he did question his sanity as he stared at the two in front of him, the older sitting on the floor chewing a cigar as the younger sprawled across his companion's legs while concentrating on the video game he was playing on his phone.

Neo was playing the virtual farm game that Luke had introduced him to, when his mate and the blonde archer exited the room. A few more taps on the screen and Neo put his phone on standby before springing up off the floor. James was calmer in rising and stowed away his cigar, while waiting to see what Neo would be doing next.

"Hey," the young god greeted cheerily, "are you ready to leave now?"

"I have to make a quick stop," Phil answered on their way to the elevator.

"Okay, but I wouldn't suggest bringing any work with you." A small smile appeared on full lips, "You won't have the time for it tonight."

The head agent could practically hear Clint's internal cackling as the archer asked, "So you've got a long night planned, huh? Nothing too strenuous I hope, Phil still has work tomorrow."

Shaking his head Neo replied, "No, not strenuous, and James has to teach classes tomorrow, as well."

"Really?" Clint glanced at the gruff looking man in a plaid shirt and blue jeans, "So, what do you teach?"

"History," James answered shortly.

The young god leaned into the mutant's side, "Don't be like that. It was just a question, and there will be plenty more of them later when the four of us are together."

"That's right," the blonde assassin said, "You mentioned an 'Anthony'. Where is he?"

Phil new that Barton was fishing but he couldn't blame the man, and he knew how Clint was after a mission. The archer did not mind a comfortable silent, but in a group he liked to talk. The talking got his mind off of things and he was a social person most of the time.

"He's at home, but that's not a problem. I was planning on popping by to pick him up before we get to our last stop for the evening."

"Well he must have been waiting for awhile," Phil commented, "It took longer to leave than I expected."

"Oh no bother," Neo dismissed the comment, "I didn't give him a specific time since I wasn't sure when I would have everything ready, and Anthony is very flexible with his schedule. Knowing him, he probably is expecting us much later anyway."

"But seriously, how do you do it?" Clint asked as he leaned towards Neo conspiratorially.

Neo leaned in playing along but gave an innocent questioning look as he asked, "Do what?"

"Be in a relationship with three people at the same time. You're not even bothered that they know about each other."

Neo just watched the agent's face for a minute as if looking for something. Finally he spoke, "Can you keep a secret?"

The 'are you serious' look that Barton returned was pure sarcasm, "I'm a spy, and I'm really good at my job. I can keep a secret."

"Close enough…" Neo smiled at the non-traditional oath. Then he wordlessly cast a privacy ward keeping the microphone in the elevator from picking up the rest of their conversation and turned away from the camera. He spoke quickly and calmly, "I was a powerful wizard until I died and was reincarnated as the flesh and blood manifestation of Death Eternal and the child of three gods. I am truly immortal, a god and will be King of my own pantheon when this universe dies and is reborn. I have three mates, who are also destined to become gods and rule beside me. Phillip is one of them, James another, and Anthony is the third though I do not know if he is the final. However, it is likely, since three is a powerful number when dealing with fate, gods and magic."

He left the two blonde men stunned until the elevator arrived at the right floor and opened for them.

"Wow," Clint said when he couldn't find anything else to say.

"Indeed," the god agreed, "Is this our stop?" Neo didn't give them time to answer as he exited the elevator and began to look around.

James chuckled, the sound reverberating deep in his chest, "He will do that to you. He's something else; like a tornado that just picks you up, sends you for a spin, before letting you go like nothing happened, and you're left wondering if you could have imagined it all; a real force of nature."

Phil and Clint just nod as they exit the elevator. They walked down the corridor to Phil's office. The head agent was not very surprised to see Neo already there and smiling like he hadn't just broken into a secret agents office and was practically flirting with the security agent that should have been monitoring the halls to keep unauthorized personnel out, i.e. Neo himself. On the other hand, Coulson was not expecting the amount of jealousy and anger that spiked in him when he noticed the security agent flirting back. James felt the same as he let out an inaudible growl.

"Agent," Phil said in a no-nonsense tone.

The security agent snapped to attention showing his previous military training, "Sir."

"Get back to your duty before I classify this as an infraction instead of you keeping an eye on an unescorted guest."

Clint winced, "You better hurry. Agent Coulson is off the clock already." It wouldn't be pretty if Phil had to file for more overtime just because he was reprimanding an agent, especially when the guy had done something so obviously stupid.

The agent seemed to know where Clint was going, and wisely turned tail and virtually ran from Coulson's office.

Neo smirked, 'It looks like Phillip has a possessive streak.'

Clint saw that things were winding down, so he chose to say his goodbye's and leave. There was already a rumor that Phil had been asked out while in New Mexico and had said yes, by tomorrow there would be even more gossip ranging from mostly true to slightly ridiculous; but that's what happens when the truth is stranger than fiction and you couldn't really expect people to believe that the Phil Coulson was suddenly going out with three men at the same time.

Phil took a few minutes getting everything in order, returned the files from the briefing and sent out last minute emails, then took Neo's advice to leave the paperwork behind. He was ready to leave in a matter of minutes.

It didn't help the rumors when Neo curled his arm around Phil's. When the agent stiffened slightly and glanced to James, he only got a smirk in return.

"He's a cuddler," James warned, using a term he had heard from the students at the mansion.

Neo chuckled but seemed a little solemn as he said, "I honestly can't help it sometimes. Admittedly, I have been starved of affection most of my life, so it's a little hard to resist with the mating bond affecting me. But, I understand if you're uncomfortable…" he started to pull away then paused when Phil gripped his hand to keep it in place.

"No, it's fine."

The agent couldn't say why he had stopped Neo, because it had been an automatic reaction to the younger man pulling away. Phil wasn't a stranger to relationships and he would admit that some of his clingier partners had made him uneasy, but it was different with Neo. It just felt right to have the younger man close. It also didn't bother him when James entered his personal space as the man fell into step beside him, their elbows occasionally bumping. They stayed close in the elevator and all the way across the 1st floor lobby.

Outside Neo directed them down the street; he was going to lead them to an ally and travel to Tony's once they were out of site but he caught a glimpse of someone trailing them out of the corner of his eye. James senses where picking up the same scent following them. Phil had been a good agent too long for him not to notice. Their stalker must have noticed them becoming warier because they fell back and tried harder to blend in.

Phil slipped away from the group and watched as their tail walked by. "What are you doing Agent Romanoff?"

Natasha was under no delusions that she could tail Coulson without him eventually noticing so she just turned around and answered truthfully, "Fury sent me to observe you."

Phil had to let out a sigh, "Just observation?"

"Yes, unless something happened."

"Maybe I should have just invited our _dear_ Director along," the tone was sarcastic, and Neo rolled his eyes as he walked around the red-head to look her in the face. His accent thickened as he introduced himself, "Neo Thorson. Though I cannot say it is a pleasure to meet you. I take offense at being stalked on principle, I hope you understand."

"Perfectly."

She wasn't expecting the green-eyed boy to sound so posh, but it did suit his aristocratic looks. She also noticed the man standing next to him and his stance. Training all her life how to read people, Natasha could tell a lot about them but she was getting some mixed signals when it came to the younger raven haired boy. No wonder Fury had decided to send her, something was off but even she wasn't sure what it was.

The god pulled out his phone and glanced at it before asking, "How long do you plan on following us, agent? It is getting a little late and I have had my fill of interruptions for this evening."

Again she answered truthfully, she had already been discovered and it wasn't like they could lose her now, "All night. I have to report to Fury in the morning and get further instructions from there."

"I'll make you a deal…if you can keep up with us all night, I'll personally meet with your director in the morning and tell him whatever he wants to know…" Neo could see the curious looks on the two agents' faces and the smirk from James, "but, if you cannot then you will leave us alone until Phillip goes to work tomorrow. That means no phone calls, text messages, emails etc. from anyone." He paused to let his words sink in, "Do we have a deal?"

"Deal," the red-head said.

"Then we will let you get back to it. Are you coming Phil?" Neo looked to the blonde agent, who nodded and they were on their way again.

Natasha stayed back, believing that it wouldn't hurt to give them some privacy. However she regretted her decision when she followed them around a corner only to not see them on the street in front of her. She picked up her pace and kept her eyes open but she couldn't find them. Ten minutes after losing them she phoned Fury and reported that she had lost sight of her targets. It was understandable that Fury became well…furious. Natasha was admittedly one of the best and it looked like some 'kid' had just outsmarted her.

 ***Break***

Phil was thinking along the same lines as Fury. He had just been walking around a corner when he was unexpectedly somewhere entirely different. When he looked around they were outside Tony Stark's Malibu mansion and there was no sign of Romanoff.

"Yeah," James said as they walked into the billionaire's home, "It's not smart to bet against, Green-Eyes. He may not cheat, but he's usually got a good hand. There is only one person who _might_ be as good, and the Swamp Rat _does_ cheat."

A computerized voice welcomed them, "Hello, Mr. Thorson, it is a pleasure to see you again, and I see you have brought guest."

"Hi, Jarvis" the god acknowledged the AI as he held the door open for the other two, "Where is he?"

"Sir, is down stairs," the computer informed Neo.

Neo made it to Tony's lab where he almost ran into the genius who was heading upstairs. He smile, "Hello, Tony."

"Jarvis said you were here," the brunette said, "and I know you said you were coming but…"

They both knew what the billionaire was trying to say. Tony had grown so used to dishonest, disloyal, hypocrites who always judged him harshly, with Pepper, Rhodes and Happy being the only exceptions; but then he found Neo. When the god disappeared, the genius was afraid that he would never return. Tony still wondered sometimes if he had gone into a coma in the desert and Neo was just a really good dream.

"You'll find that I can get positively livid sometimes, but I'll always forgive you Tony," he brushed his finger tips across Tony's well trimmed jaw, "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

That was the only thing that Tony needed to hear, and he leaned forward to capture Neo's lips in a tender kiss. It slowly deepened until they had to pull away so Tony could breathe.

" _Mmm_ …" Neo hummed and licked the taste of Tony from his lips. Then he held up a hand to stop Tony from pulling him into another kiss, "Hold onto that thought, love. You need to meet the others."

Tony gave him a curious look but then he remembered, "Right, your soul mates."

"Our soul mates," Neo corrected.

The former playboy nodded, "Right…now I have a very serious question for you, so I need you to concentrate..." Neo seemed to perk up and raised an interested eyebrow. Seeing that he had the god's attention he continued, "On a scale from one to ten, one being homely and ten being godly, how hot are they? I'm just curious."

Neo gave his genius mate a flat look. "I'm sure I have said this before, but looks don't matter to me, that being said, James is ruggedly handsome and Phillip is quite charming. The three of you are equally attractive in my eyes."

There was a moment's pause, "Oh, okay then."

Neo help off on the rest of his reply for a second before he gave in, "However, I know the answer you are looking for, and I would classify your looks as strikingly beautiful. So yes Tony, you're the prettier one." The smug look on Tony's face, almost made Neo regret his words, the man already had a healthy self-image (a.k.a. ego).

Placing a hand on Neo's back he guided the younger man back up the stairs, "Aw, you always say the sweetest things."

On the first floor, Phil and James had been looking around. The agent had wondered over to the window to admire the view of the ocean and the feral mutant let his sense of smell tell him more than his eyes could as he took in the lingering smells in the air. James heard two sets of footsteps coming from the basement and turned toward Neo and Tony.

"Well," the youngest man in the room said with a clap of his hands, "Now that we are finally ready, it's time to leave."

"Ugh," James grunted.

Neo felt for the mutant; he and James had been to practically half of New York today and now that they were on the other side of the continent they were going somewhere else. He walked over to the gruff soldier, wrapped his arms around the older man's waist and ducked his head under James' chin. It made the god seem a little smaller and the position tugged at the animal instinct in Wolverine to protect and make his mate happy.

"Just one more trip to our final stop, promise," Neo cajoled.

'That's cheating,' James thought as his mate's scent made his inner beast purr happily, and suddenly he didn't mind going anywhere as long as it was with Neo.

Neo could feel the older man's grudging consent; he didn't mind that he had played dirty; he was almost sorted into Slytherin for a reason. The god then pecked the man's cheek and straightened back up.

The manipulating maneuver was not missed by Tony or Phil; the agent was mentally cataloguing the maneuver for future reference to avoid later, however he would realize soon enough that the young god was not a "one trick pony"; the genius was more concerned that Neo and the ruff looking man were so close after only a few days.

"Now let's see," Neo said as he glanced at the other three, "The fastest way is best, so let us have a group hug."

"I thought we were planning on leaving tonight. Having a cuddle session sounds counterproductive," Tony commented.

The god smiled knowingly, "Not in this case. Now, head out of the gutter, there will be plenty of time for that later." Neo spread his magic out to wrap around his three mates then drew the three men to him. Wrapped in a cocoon of raw magic, they vanished.

Glancing down at the small marble in his hand, Neo was almost in awe at how easy it was to travel to a completely different dimension. The marble acted like a 'key' and let Neo go straight from wherever he was to Eternia and back. He sent the marble back to his pocket dimension for safe keeping. Good news was, he was the only one who could use it, and it was temporary until he was strong enough to travel through dimensions completely on his own. The only other way to Eternia, was through the 'Gates of Eternia', which functioned like the Bifrost and the Rainbow Bridge in one. The Gates are physically located on Earth at the moment, not far from the Xavier mansion. When someone steps past the Gate, they are stepping into Eternia.

Like the entrances to the Wizarding World the Gate is heavily warded against unwanted guests. After the wards were raised, Death took control of them temporarily, but now that Neo had arrived he could feel the protections shifting. Due to Death powering the magical barrier, it had developed a powerful semi-sentient magic and it had recognized him as the 'King of Eternia'. Neo could feel the wards welcoming him and ready to be at his command, like a dog welcoming their human home. It was a presence in the back of his mind ready to warn him if anything was wrong.

He looked up and faced a palace-like mansion of unknown size. A word echoed through the young god's mind, until he realized that it wasn't a word, it was the name of his new home, the Citadel, looming over his head. They had appeared in front of a large double-door made of oak, when Neo put his hand to the door it resonated under his finger tips and opened of its own volition.

A chorus of voices called as they entered, "Welcome home, Master."

To say it was startling would be putting it lightly; the doors opened to a grand entrance hall with a red carpet rolled down the center lined on both sides with spirits and beings of all kinds from around the world, with some possibly from other planets, standing at attention dressed in male and female servant uniforms and at the head of them was Elric.

Elric came closer, "Welcome, Master. I understand that you did not want a large fanfare when you arrived, but this is your first time here. The servants were excited and wanted you to see them at their best, so I allowed some of them to greet you. However, I will be diligent in making sure that they do not disturb you and your guests." The Guardian Spirit spoke in an even tone, but there was an underlying threat and the young god could have sworn that he saw some of the servants shiver.

Neo turned to the waiting servants, "Thank you, everyone, for your hard work. I am happy to be home." He was pleased with how right it sounded to say those words. Going from a boy that grew up in a place he never thought of as home, to a 'King" in his own palace was strange. "So, what is the plan for this evening?"

"The spirits are hosting a fair for you this evening. Perhaps it is a little unorthodox having it on the grounds, but it was planned as a 'get to know each other' event for all involved. I am aware that some couples go to an amusement park or fair for their dates, however if you do not like the idea…" the spirit was cut off.

"No, it's fine, and it sounds like fun," Neo said, and then looked back at his mates with a blush, "I've never actually been to one before."

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Tony asked moving to place his arm around Neo's shoulders, "Lead on."

Elric lead them past the servants, and through what looked like a sunroom to a door leading outside where he excused himself to prepare dinner and said it would be ready soon.

Outside they saw a fox demon manning a booth that held a small tub with rubber ducks floating in it, a kappa was overseeing a small tank with goldfish, and a snow woman was making snow cones. The spirits not operating booths were milling about going from booth to booth, looking happy and excited. The god marveled at the fact that the spirits where able to touch things and not see through, but then some would walk through each other on their way to a booth.

It didn't take long for the four of them to get into the spirit after Tony convinced Phil to loosen up. They found out that Phil was good at shooting the moving targets. Tony was good at the claw machine and won Neo the stuffed lion that had caught the god's eye. James was the best at the Rope Ladder Climb with Neo coming in second and Phil third. Tony had decided not to climb and had played a few rounds of three-card monte with a Tanuki. To his credit the raccoon dog didn't cheat, but Neo wouldn't be surprised if the money Tony had won mysteriously turned to leaves in the morning. When they finally got to the Ring the Bell test, Neo watched as his mates tried their strength and James was the one that came close but didn't win, then it was his turn.

"Maybe, I shouldn't." Neo muttered as he gripped the large mallet that felt too light in his hands.

"Oh come on," Tony goaded, "even I tried it, and without my suit."

James scoffed, "I don't think a suit is going to help you any, bub."

That's when Neo remembered that he had not told James that Tony piloted the Iron Man suit. "Actually," he began, "You know Tony's bodyguard, Iron Man, that's been on TV lately…Tony invented it and was the one that saved all those people at the Arc Reactor buidling."

James glanced at the genius and could smell the 'smug' coming from him. He grunted and shrugged his shoulders, then smirked when the smug scent was replaced by annoyance.

Trying not to ruin the mood, Tony turned away from the rough man and back to Neo, "Okay, enough stalling," he nodded to the strength test, "take a whack at it."

Neo silently sighed and lifted the mallet before bringing it back down on top of the pressure pad; the small ball was launched up and hit the bell at the top with a laud clang that rang in their ears.

They played a few more games before they got hungry and started to head back to the Citadel. On the way, they came across an older woman sitting at a table. A large banner over her silvery-blond head read 'Lady Solaria, Fortune Teller'. They would have walked by if the woman hadn't looked up with stormy grey eyes and asked, "Don't you want to know what I can see, little god?"

"No thank you, I have had my fortune told before and it was never a pleasant experience," Neo replied, as flashes of his past swiftly sprung into his mind's eye.

"Yes, harsh fortunes are often doled out during hard times," she paused to nod her head solemnly, "but then you died and things got better."

Neo looked into the grey eyes and then he looked harder, something was telling him that she was the real deal. The young immortal took the chair opposite the woman.

"Come on, Neo…" Tony started but he stopped when he saw the god shake his head slightly.

Solaria smiled kindly and held out her hands, "There we are, now just give me your hand, please." Her hands were slightly chilled but soft when she took Neo's hand to trace the lines along his palm with her fingers. "You are a child of noble birth, but life has been hard for you. I see that you have been marked by Fate as a Child of Prophecy. Your life line is strange, as expected, two lives…one short, but your second life will be very long. You are a true immortal," at that declaration she looked into Neo's eyes for a second before glancing back down at his palm.

"Destiny has chosen three for you to love, here is the proof," she pointed to a spot on his palm, "all three to be loved equally and strongly." Her eyes wondered to James, Tony and Phil. "You will be very happy together…" here her expression turned grim, "One cannot live life without facing the hardships that come with it, ups and downs, bad times to make the good times worthwhile."

She let go of his hand, and pulled out a small crystal ball that she gazed into, "I sense an omen of forewarning. Let us see," Solaria's eyes seemed to fill with a fog turning them cloudy like her crystal ball and when she spoke her voice was husky, " **Two battles are to come. The Titans awake and seek to destroy Life. The Titan of Chaos will rise from the Abyss to threaten the gods, once again. The Mad Titan will make his move and send the red faced man with an army at his command. Do not discourage, old friends will return to you and new one will join you to face this threat**."

The woman put down her crystal ball and took a deep breath, "You will not have a boring life that is for certain." Her attempt at levity brought a small smile to Neo's lips.

"No, it's never boring;" he shook his head and stood, "What's the charge?"

She stood as well showing her petite stature since her head barely came to Neo's chest. "No charge, but perhaps one of you would be willing to part with a small trinket?" The curious look the young god gave her as he reached into his pocket deepened when she started to shake her head, "Oh, I couldn't possibly take anything of value from you. But, I believe your mate carries a strange bracelet that he picked up in a peculiar shop," she wheedled.

Phil was quick to understand what she was talking about and undid the button of his left sleeve to reveal a leather strip covered in small round pieces of metal that had runes carefully carved into them. Phil may believe in Superheroes but he wasn't very superstitious and had only gotten the bracelet to get information, so he easily handed it over to the woman. When it was no longer in contact with his skin, the illusion broke. It wasn't a significant change, but then again there was a difference. Phil's face suddenly seemed sharper and younger while his hair became a more rich brown and fuller, and he looked every bit his 5'11''.

"Are you sure? It's not very strong and has started to crack," Neo asked the older woman, hoping she would say no, he liked the change.

She smiled her kind smile and held her arms open, "It is fine, but you could always give this old soul a hug, as well."

When Neo bent down and hugged her, she quietly whispered in his ear, "You have already paid me more than enough by saving the life of my great-granddaughter, young wizard. I am forever in your debt."

The god was curious, "Who is she?"

She pulled away before saying, "My name is Solaria Lovegood, and I will always be here if you need me. You should go. You must be very hungry by now."

He chucked, Neo had always wondered if Luna had Seer blood in her family and he had just gotten his answer.

Elric was waiting for them at the door and showed them the way to the dining room. The Citadel was large and spacious. The interior was elegant but not gaudy, with leather and wood furniture, walls painted in different earth tones, lush carpets and tastefully decorated.

Conversation was light as the four ate. They had steak for dinner, with vegetables and a roll. For dessert they could choose between cherry, apple or peach cobbler. The meal was simple but perfect, and everyone enjoyed it. Two servants came in and took away the dessert plates.

"Would you like to retire to the evening lounge, my lord? I believe you will find it quite comfortable," Elric commented from his place at Neo's side.

Neo looked at his phone and saw that it was around 7 o'clock, "What do you think?" he asked his three mates who nodded or shrugged. Turning back to Elric he answered the spirit, "Alright, can you please bring by some drinks? I don't think we are quite ready for bed yet." Then he stood and waited for the others. The lounge wasn't far from the dining room and had a very plush looking sofa and two matching chairs placed around a hearth that had a warm fire going.

Neo chose not to sit on the couch, so instead he banished the furniture away from the fireplace and conjured up a giant fur rug with a huge pillow that was large enough for all four of them. He turned and gripped Tony's hand before they took a seat on the fur. It was a plush coat and was so soft it felt like sitting on a cloud they leaned back against the large pillow and could have fallen asleep there. James took a seat next to Neo but Phil hesitated.

Neo gave a calm smile, "I must be a closet romantic, huh? But to be honest, it makes me feel comfortable, and I'm not sure if I can get through what I have to tell you without it."

With that little confession, Phil nodded and sat down on Tony's other side.

Elric soon came in with a tray carrying drinks. The spirit had a beer for James, a scotch for Tony, a glass of water for Phil and a butter beer for Neo, who gave the drink a curious look before taking a sip and practically melting into Tony's side.

"I owe you three an explanation. It's not every day that a seventeen year old god tells you that you're their soul mate and you're stuck with said god for the rest of eternity. I don't know how we're going to put up with each other for so long," he quipped. His nerves spiked again and he felt James place a calming hand on the back of his neck. Neo took another sip before continuing, "I'm going to start from the beginning, but it doesn't start with me. The first part of what I have to tell you are things that happened before I was born."

The young god recalled what he had found out about the Gaunt Family; how the daughter, a witch, had fallen in love with a young mundane lord and gave him a love potion so he would love her back. Then the girl, now a woman, had thought that the mundane truly loved her but when she stopped giving him the potion the man left. When the man left she had been pregnant and her family didn't want her to have the child; Neo explained that its parentage made the child a half-blood and was looked down on in most pureblood families. She fled to an orphanage and named the child, Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr., before she died. Then life began at the orphanage for the child, and he was bullied for being different from all the other children. That all changed when the boy found out he was a wizard at eleven and invited to attend a special magic school, by the time he was a man he had become a very powerful wizard. Then he became obsessed with power and organized a group of wizards and witches that shared his Pureblood ideals, he then started calling himself Lord Voldemort and started a great war.

"During that war he found out about a prophecy form a spy. It said, _the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…*_ The problem was Voldemort only knew the first half. There were five facts that the prophecy revealed, the child would be male, he would be born at the end of July, his parents had defied Voldemort three times and lived, he would have power Voldemort was unable to wield, and in the case of more than one child Voldemort would choose the child the prophecy referred to.

 _(A.N. *I give credit to J. K. Rowling's imagination.)_

"Two children fit the prophecy a boy who was born on July 30th, Neville Longbottom, and me on July 31st. Voldemort chose to go after me because I was supposed to be a half-blood like him. I'll tell you what I mean later since I didn't find out the truth for a long time. Anyway, my parents found out about the prophecy and went into hiding with me. There is a spell that can hide a place but it requires one person to know the location, one person who can tell others where it is, the secret keeper. My family hid away in our home and a friend of my father was made the secret keeper." Neo paused and swallowed the sting of hatred he had at remembering what Petegrew had done.

"He betrayed them. He was a rat to the core and he told Voldemort how to find my parents. A year after the prophecy on Halloween night Voldemort came. He murdered my father and then my mother, but when he tried to kill me the spell backfired and destroyed his body. That night everyone thought he had been killed and they hailed me as a hero. But while they were celebrating, I was sent to live with my relatives," the young god's eyes narrowed and his voice was cold when he spoke, "I may have been able to move on from what happened when I was a child, but I will never call them family."

"…and you shouldn't…" the sudden interruption had them turning to see a woman dressed in an Arthurian style courtesan's dress dyed a royal purple. Her violet eyes glowed in the low light and her voice was like acid, "…family is not just a bond of blood but of love. The Dursleys only have love for themselves."

"Mother," Neo may have been surprised but he was equally happy to see Hecate at that moment, "What are you doing here?"

"I was told that you might need me," she said mysteriously, "and then I was able to feel your distress. If you really want to share your past I know an easier way to recall it. A spell was invented long ago when clans and tribes would gather around the fire and tell stories. It has been forgotten but will be better than a pensive in this case. All you have to do is concentrate on the memory you want to share as you cast the spell at the fire."

Neo knew who Hecate was talking about and he concentrated on his connection to Death. She was just at the edge of his conscience and he could tell that she was watching him. 'I am sure I will say this again, but thanks for being so nosey,' he mentally communicated.

" _No problem_ ," the entity replied, countering his sarcasm with her cheery tone.

His small conversation with Death over, Neo replied to the goddess of Magic, "I would like that, thank you."

"Alright, now, focus on the memories and their order then repeat after me, **Flames of Memory** ," the goddesses intoned.

Neo could hear the incantation and it wasn't Latin or any language he knew, but he could still understand the spell. Following the instructions, he concentrated on his first year of Hogwarts from the morning of Dudley's birthday to the time he left for the school. He raised his hand into the air and pointed his fingers at the fire burning in the hearth before speaking, " **Flames of Memory**."

Once the spell was spoken Hecate disappeared back into the shadows unnoticed.

Suddenly the fire roared and the smoke turned white before it thickened and condensed into something resembling a white screen. Light from the fire played across the surface of the smoke before it took shape and more colors started to appear. All of a sudden it was like he was watching his own memories and he could hear them too, the crackling of the fire became his Aunt's voice as she banged on the cupboard door.

The three men sat and watched the life of their young mate play out before their eyes. Strangely enough, none of the three mentioned that Neo used to have another name, and the god was grateful for it. Emotions of anger, disappointment and rage filled the three men as they watched how his family treated him, and from there it was a rollercoaster of thoughts and feelings. As a government agent Phil was having a hard time watching the abuse of a minor, and the endangerment of students. James was even more ready to hunt down Neo's so called relatives and he wasn't sure what he would do after that. Tony sympathized and was reminded why he hated authority figures, of any kind. All three noticed how Neo was keeping certain things secret, like how he would hide a text book when someone entered the room or not raise his hand even when he knew the answer. Neo's confrontation at the end of the year with his possessed teacher had all of them on edge. By the time the memories had finished and the smoke had disappeared up the chimney, Tony had pulled Neo into his side in a one armed hug.

"There are six more years of memories left, and then I have even more to explain," Neo said aloud in the quiet room.

Elric came back with a tray of snacks and drinks, and that's when Neo noticed the time. It had taken over an hour to watch the memories. The young god glanced to his right when he felt James getting up.

The older mutant gave a small smile and mused Neo's hair affectionately before saying, "I'll be back in a minute."

Elric seemed to read his mind and said, "The restroom is to the right and second door to your left."

The others agreed that it might be a good idea to take a quick break. When Neo came back into the room he saw that all three were sitting in the middle of the rug, but when he went to sit on the end James, who was in the middle, reached around Phil and pulled Neo into his lap.

"I got you Green-Eyes," The mutant murmured into the raven hair of the god.

The young man went to move his legs off of the agent, but Phil placed a hand on Neo's knee. "You should get comfortable if this is going to take as long as last time," the man commented evenly, but the god noticed that his hand didn't move.

Neo smiled when he felt Tony's hand rubbing circles on his back, and he almost cried happy tears when feelings of affection and understanding pulsed through the bonds with his mates. Wanting to get things moving again he thought about the end of his summer before second year when he met Dobby and all of the way until he got onto the train again at the end of the year.

Phil instantly had no respect for British police as he watched Vernon get away with putting bars on Neo's window. Tony was reminded of Justin Hammer when he watched the phony Lockheart. When Neo's younger self went to face the Basilisk, the three men found a new respect for their younger mate.

The smoke had barely cleared of the memories from the second year before the god cast the spell again and the memories from his third year started. Tony snickered at what happened to Marge. Phil remembered a report about Sirius black passing his desk during that year but then the trail went cold. Then the genius commented that Sirius and Remus looked old in the memories and Neo had to pacify his curiosity by promising to explain later. Neo's memories continued to show his true intelligence and amazing instincts; like how he had actually found out that Remus was a werewolf before anyone else, but had decided to keep the man's secret. An inaudible growl vibrated through James chest and his arms tightened around the younger man in his lap when Remus transformed and attacked. Hate was thick in the air when Petegrew was revealed and then got away. The agent recalled something about the man turned rat being killed. Phil would definitely have a lot of work to do in the following week to finally set SHIELD's paperwork in order; he was just starting to realize that the wizards were terrible at keeping secrets and never cared to clean up a mess that spilled over into the non-magical population. He started mentally taking notes from what he had seen of the wizard's society; if people with such power remained so ignorant they could become a threat, especially if they had thought it was a good idea to send soul-sucking creatures to a school.

Neo stopped so everyone could take a break, since his memories from the next year would take longer. They settled back down with Neo tucked into Tony's side again. The summer before fourth year was a turning point in Neo's life, and foreshadowed things to come. They watched the mayhem at the Cup, as wizards and witches ran away instead of fighting back. When James saw Neo knocked to the ground, he had to stop himself from unsheathing his claws. The start of term was quick and then the students from Durmstrang and Beauxbaxton arrived to participate in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. They watched the drawing of the names and how the adult's had practically forced Neo to compete. Wolverine would let loose a growl now and then and one very vicious one when Neo's memories showed Ron abandoning him. Tony was able to smirk when he noticed that Neo was crushing on Cedric more than Cho. The dragon was terrifying to see from the eyes of a 14 year old Neo, then the events in the lake, and the maze shook them. Through it they saw Neo's true self more; he was a strong individual and was capable of doing things on his own, but since he preferred the company of his friends Neo played to their expectations and acted like any other boy his age. When it came to facing Voldemort at the end of the year and the death of Cedric James pulled Neo closer.

The events of Neo's fifth year took just as long to view as the fourth, but were even worse, and Neo had to look away when it came to Umbridge and her torture sessions disguised as detentions. When Sirius was almost killed, Neo's heart skipped a beat like it had that night at the Ministry. Phil saw how Sirius was eventually cleared after Petegrew was discovered to be alive, and how the Ministry conveniently forgot to inform the non-magical authorities.

Things seemed to look up a little during Neo's sixth year, but it didn't last. Dumbledore was dying, Neo had seen it from the start but the memories and lessons were strategically planned.

Neo blended the memories of his summer after sixth year into the memories of what would have been his seventh year, but instead was the beginning of his hunt for Voldemort's Horcrux's. No one said anything as they watched the events play out but by the end of it there was a heavy somber atmosphere in the room. The young god popped the cap off of his fourth butter beer of the night and took three long drags from the bottle before he finally spoke.

"In the end, it took watching Snape's memory for me to admit the facts that were staring me in the face. That's when I understood that somewhere along the way Albus Dumbledore had started viewing everything objectively…as long as it was for the 'greater good' it was worth the sacrifice, and I was a sacrifice for the greater good. I finally saw how my whole life was a series of planned events orchestrated by him to defeat Voldemort, and that even when Dumbledore saved me, all he was doing was making sure that I died at the right time. Somewhere in his mind he was able to justify the things that he did, and as much as I knew it was wrong I still went along with his plan to the very end because that was the only path left. From the moment Voldemort aimed the killing curse at me as an infant I was destined to destroy him, but even Dumbledore never knew the true power that I possessed." Neo smiled and remembered when he first met Death.

"After the battle I went into a coma, and that was when I met Death." Neo saw the surprised and slightly skeptical looks on Tony and Phil's faces. "It wasn't a hallucination, Death explained that I was dying but I could be saved. Hermes showed up later to help explain things," he looked to Phil, "you met Thor. Well, a while back he made Odin mad enough that the Allfather sent Thor to live a life on Earth as a mortal, all to teach him a lesson. But when Odin's powers shipped Thor's godly essence and conscience off to Earth, Loki used his powers to make sure Thor would be a woman. Lily Evans was born with the soul and powers of Thor and was raised as a witch. Later she married James Potter. When they wanted to have a child, he found out that he had been cursed to be infertile, so he decided to pray to a god he actually believed in, Hermes. At first Hermes wasn't planning on answering the prayer but then he found out that the entity Fate had other plans. The messenger god took the form of James Potter and helped to conceive me, and Lily never found out. Everyone thought I was the Halfblood child of a Pureblood Lord and a Muggleborn witch, and because of Thor's mortal body and Hermes being in disguise I never inherited my godly powers. When Voldemort came to kill me he murdered my mother in front of me and Thor's soul was released. He finally remembered that he was a god. Thor stopped the killing curse from taking my life with his powers, but then he had to return to his body. When Thor woke up on Asgard Odin forbid him from coming back for me. Hermes was able to watch me grow up but later the gods of Olympus were forbidden to have any contact with their mortal children.

"After they told me the truth I was given the chose to be reborn and inherit my godly powers, and I said yes. You remember the woman that was here earlier?" he received three nods, "That was Hecate, the goddess of Magic. She performed the ritual that is mostly used by wizard couples to conceive a child and I was reborn as a true son of Hermes and Thor," Neo saw the look on Tony's face and answered the man's question before he even asked, "Yes, Tony, two male wizards can have a child and they have been doing it for centuries. Anyway, while Hecate was performing the ritual she also gave me her blessing and adopted me as her chosen child. When I woke up I was told that I wasn't the child of just two gods from different pantheons but a goddess who is technically a titan. My life has been interesting ever since," Neo said before downing the rest of his drink, "and you pretty much know the rest…well, except for my training at Camp, meeting my half siblings and saving the world from a war between the gods."

There was a pause, "Oh, come on, beautiful, you can't leave us hanging like that!" Tony exclaimed in an almost whining tone.

The young god dramatically fell back onto the pillow behind him. "But, I'm tired," Neo fake whined in return while trying and failing not to smile.

The billionaire chuckled and leaned down to brush his lips against Neo's gently. Tony pulled back and saw the pleased smirk on the god's full lips.

"Okay, I'm not so tired anymore, but you better do it one more time, just in case." Tony accepted the request and leaned down once more; this time Neo followed his mate's lips as the genius pulled away and only broke the kiss when they were sitting up again.

Neo was in a happy mood as he recalled everything that had happened after he was reincarnated. There were plenty of questions from Tony and a few from James, but Phil had remained quiet taking in the information. Neo explained why he had to go back in time and about what he had done in the War and finished with bringing Bucky back and showing up at Xavier's mansion.

"Wow," Tony said when Neo finished, "I might need to start carrying around my armor when we leave the house."

They all chuckled for a minute, and then Phil finally spoke, "You're Thyra, do you have any idea how much trouble you caused in New Mexico?"

Neo actually giggled at that before pulling out his puppy dog eyes, "I'm sorry, Phil," the apology was ruined a second later when the god gave the agent a devious smirk and said, "but I am the son of a trickster."

"And, I'm sure we wouldn't want you any other way," Tony admitted.

James gave a lopsided grin and nodded his agreement. Phil admitted to himself that after everything that has happened in Neo's life, it was a good thing that the younger man could still laugh and have fun. The small nod of agreement the agent gave made Neo smile brightly. They were silent for a while just enjoying each other's company.

Phil sighed before he spoke, "It's a lot to take in, and I'm still not sure I believe in the whole soul mate…angle." James gave Phil a narrowed eyed look when Neo's expression fell, but Phil still thought it needed to be said.

"How can you not?" Tony asked skeptically, "Neo has no reason to lie about it, and even I can admit to feeling something."

"There is no way of guaranteeing that he's not lying, and that is enough of a reason for me to doubt it," Phil admitted. "I can feel something but I don't know what it is, and I've seen enough in the last few hours to know there are plenty of ways to manipulate emotions and trick someone into thinking they are in love. You have no proof," the agent finished succinctly.

( _A.N.: I wrote an alternative scene here, but I was not sure about it, so I will be posting it at the end of the chapter, please let me know your feelings on it; if I should have kept the scene or I was right in changing it_.)

"You are right," Neo admitted quietly, "The soul is intangible and hard to understand, yet that does not mean that it doesn't exist. But I can close off the connection so that you don't feel it, if you think that I'm using it to manipulate you," and Neo did exactly that, he closed off the three parts of the bond that were connected to Phil, it was still there just not an open link. Everyone felt the loss immediately but Neo didn't flinch. Then the young god physically gave the agent the cold shoulder, as he blatantly turned his back on the man to look at Tony.

Neo's smile visibly warmed, "So…tomorrow is Friday, and I was thinking…"

"That's dangerous," Tony quipped.

Neo sighed dramatically, "I know, but I can't help it. Anyway, I know a few people that will be free tomorrow, so why don't we have a party?"

"What's the occasion?" James asked from Tony's other side.

Neo rolled his eyes, "Who said we needed one? I just want to spend time with my friends and family."

"I don't know," the genius said, "From what I heard, it is dangerous to put you and your Uncles in the same room with the rest of your family."

The god gave an exaggerated pout, "Aw that's not fare, those ducks were adorable and the elephants where friendly."

Tony looked at James and they seemed to have a silent conversation. "I don't know, darling…"James began.

"…you might have to convince us before we agree to have a party," Tony finished.

Neo blinked but then smirked, "Oh, really? And just how am I supposed to convince you, huh?"

"Well, I haven't been able to say no after you kiss me…" Tony thought aloud.

"…and I'm partial to your sweet talking." James mentioned.

Neo smirked before rolling on top of Tony to straddle the billionaire's hips. His voice took on a sultry tone as he leaned in and asked, "You mean when I kiss you like this?" Neo brushed his lips against Tony's slightly parted ones then he slanted their lips together. Tony threaded one hand through thick raven locks as the other one gripped Neo's waist and he returned the kiss. Neo teasingly nipped and then licked Tony's bottom lip inviting Tony to deepen the kiss.

When Tony came back up for air, Neo swiftly climbed off of the inventor and was sitting across James lap in an instant. He wrapped his arms around the mutant's neck and laid his head on the feral man's shoulder and seemed to take on an innocent air, "I know you don't like crowds, love," Neo said in an understanding tone, "but it will just be Tony's friends if they want to come, some of the teachers from the school, your brother, and my family whom you've already met, and a few other guests that probably won't even come." Then he pulled back to look James in the eyes, "I promise you won't have to drink anything but your chose of alcohol. There won't be one soda in sight if that's what you want. We will even have barbeque, burgers, hotdogs, kabobs, corn-on-the-cob and such, nothing fancy." Neo leaned in to whisper his final promise into James' ear, "And. No. Kids."

Neo sat back to meet Tony and James eyes, "The best part is, if you two can manage to survive, I'll make sure to reward you with anything you want…within reason." Neo tacked on at the end when he noticed the gleam that appeared in Tony's eyes. "But I understand if you don't want to have the party."

"No, I'm sold," Tony agreed quickly.

James chuckled, "Looks like you managed to convince us, darling."

Neo beamed and flung his arms around both of their necks. The move knocked them all off balance and they fell back onto the pillow with Neo and Tony laughing.

Neo suddenly pushed himself up on his elbows and looked at Phil, "I want you to come too," he said abruptly, "but I'm still mad at you."

Phil nodded; he was starting to get a good idea of how much he had hurt the teen when the hollow feeling in his chest refused to dissipate.

Elric silently entered the room to retrieve the tray he had dropped off earlier, with a maid trailing behind him her lavender eyes staring at Neo from her cat-like face. Then he stood at the door and calmly spoke, "It is quite late, Master. Would you like me to drive Agent Coulson home this evening?"

"No," Neo said before Phil could agree with the idea, "Like you said it is 'quite late', and we have plenty of room. I think it would be easier on Phillip if he didn't have to travel all the way back tonight, don't you agree?" The look that the god gave the spirit clearly said, 'agree or else'.

"Of course, Master. I will have a room prepared immediately, and Banafrit will show you and your guests the way," he indicated the maid beside him before he left.

The maid bowed her grey-furred head, and her triangle-shaped ears held back her bobbed charcoal hair as her bangs swayed in front, "Good evening, Master, I am Banafrit," she said in an Egyptian accented voice. Her body looked like a human woman and the skin on her hands had a bronze tan.

"What, I don't get a room, are you kicking me out?" Tony teased.

"Don't be silly, love. You and James are staying in my room and Elric already knew that. I just didn't want Phillip to think I was trying to _manipulate_ his emotions again by asking him to share the same bed tonight." Neo had managed to keep his voice light. The god pulled out his phone and started tapping on the screen distractedly. "We should turn in now. I have a party to plan tomorrow."

They got up and followed the maid to the second floor were the master bedroom was and she pointed out that Phil's room would be across the hall.

Banafrit immediately went into the Master bedroom and began to turn down the sheets then she took clean towels from the bathroom closet and laid them out on the towel rack, "Will you require anything else, Master?"

Neo looked up from his phone curiously before he seemed to understand what she had asked and seemed to think, "We will need a change of night clothes…"

Banafrit walked over to a large set of drawers that sat next to a walk in closet and began gathering three sets of clothes, "There are night clothes and underclothes in each of your sizes in the drawers," she informed him, "and day clothes in the closet."

She laid out the clothes on the bed before turning to Tony. When she reached for the hem of his t-shirt the billionaire jumped back.

Light-purple cat-eyes blinked curiously at the man, "Are you not ready to prepare for bed?"

Neo chuckled, "I think Tony would prefer to dress himself. Are you our personal maid?"

Nodding her cat head, Banafrit replied, "Yes, I and my sister, Nafrit, were given the honor of being the hand-maids to our new King's Consorts."

Tony was not sure that he had heard the cat-faced girl right, "Did she just say, Consorts?"

Neo suppressed another laugh, "So, where is your sister?" the god asked curiously.

Banafrit had turned to the human but looked back to Neo to answer, "She is preparing the separate room for the Consort who angered you. She understands he is being banned from your personal chambers tonight as a punishment."

Tony smirked, "Is that right? Well she's pretty smart."

Banafrit smiled happily at the compliment, "Your compliment honors us, my Queen."

The young god snorted at the shocked look that Tony had adopted, and decided to ask, "Why do you call him that?"

Banafrit tilted her head to the left wondering if she had said something wrong; she understood that she knew very little about humans. Not letting her thoughts distract her from answering she spoke, "I was raised to know that the Pharaoh is King of his land. Vizier Elric calls you, Master, but the other servants say that you are the King of Eternia, Pharaoh, and I know that a Pharaoh's consort is his Queen."

"Yes, but human's reserve the term Queen for a female," Neo informed the half-cat, and then seemed to study her for a moment, "You don't know much about modern humans, do you?"

Banafrit's ears lowered in embarrassment, "No, I do not," she admitted, "My sister and I were servants to the Egyptian goddess Bast in ancient times, but our lives were taken in a fire. When Death called for us to become servants to the new god, you, Life gave us bodies similar to the ones we used to have and helped us learn," she lowered her head and added, "but we are still learning."

"You are doing fine," Neo reassured, "Thank you."

A quiet knock came from the door and a small head popped through a crack in the door. Triangle-shaped ears twitched on top of the head of another cat-faced girl. It was Banafrit's sister, Nafrit. She had a cat-like face covered in tan fur that matched the color of her skin and bobbed brunette hair on her head, but she had the same lavender eyes as Banafrit.

The brunette's cat features looked timid as she caught her sister's eyes and spoke quietly, "The Consort wishes to speak with, Master."

"Do not deny the Consort," Banafrit hissed.

"But he is banished from Master's Chambers," Nafrit reminded her sister.

The charcoal haired girl was suddenly the one looking unsure and her ears flattened against her skull. Banafrit turned to the young god and asked, "What is your command, Master?"

Neo nodded to the cat-girl standing at the door, "It is fine, I never banished Phil. He can come in."

Nafrit opened the door as she stepped aside and the agent entered, then the sisters quickly left the room closing the door behind them.

Phil met Neo's eyes and raised a brow questioningly, "Consort?"

The younger man just shrugged, "It looks like they come from Ancient Egypt, we should be happy that they are learning. Maybe I could have convinced them to call you my mate but you're still in denial about that, and we're not boyfriends, lovers or married, so I guess you have to take what you get."

The agent took the verbal barb, "I get that I upset you…" Phil began but was interrupted.

"I'm not upset, Phillip," Neo said with narrowed eyes, "I'm in pain. Ever since gaining my inheritance I've had a deeper connection with my magic, my soul. Hell, I feel like I wear my heart on my sleeve most of the time because my emotions have become so entwined with my powers. A soul bond is all about emotion, magic and power. My soul recognized you as my soul mate and formed a connection, because of that connection you denying the bond between us physically hurt, like you ripped my heart out. Did you know that most creatures of magic die when a soul mate rejects them? If I was anyone else you could have killed me, so excuse me for being snippy." Neo had to blink angry tears from his eyes before they could fall. He quickly turned around and grabbed the clothes that had been laid out for him. The young god cleared his throat, "I think I'm going to take a shower," he said and in seconds he was in the master bathroom with the door closing behind him.

A voice broke the silence left in the wake of the angry teen, "He's right, you could have killed him." The three men saw Hecate sitting on the bed with a large dog at her feet. She continued speaking, "Gods and goddesses are beings of power and that power comes from and is our soul, we choose to take the form of humans but we are not. Even though Neo is slightly different and has a vessel of flesh and blood, he is still a god. And most gods do not have soul mates for a reason.

"When man was created they had two heads, four arms and four legs. You might think it strange but they were happy because their souls were whole," Hecate's eyes darkened and her voice turned ominous, "and the gods envied them. In their jealousy the gods used their powers to split every man in two, creating two halves and forcing them to spend their short lives incomplete always searching for their other half, and that is how soul mates where created. When soul mates meet they are finally complete and one can no longer live without the other, because the separation would be too great. So you can understand why it would be dangerous for a god to have a soul mate.

"When you so blatantly denied the bond, you caused a painful separation in Neo's very essence. He now feels incomplete, and I am sure that if he had not already formed a bond with James and Tony, the rejection would have caused severe damage. You can feel it. I suggest you start believing in soul mates because the pain will only grow." Hecate sat and let her words sink in as she pet the dog at her side before speaking directly to the four legged creature, "Watch over my son for the time being Magnum and make sure he stays safe."

"You got it, Lady H.," the dog replied in a deep rumbling voice before the goddess disappeared like smoke.

The three men didn't say anything and Magnum ignored their presence. The tan and black furred dog jumped up on the bed and laid down to wait for Neo.

Tony was the first to interrupt the silence, "So, a talking dog?"

"So, a human stating the obvious?" Magnum shot back.

The door to the bathroom opened and Neo came out clean and dry dressed in a pair of white sleep pants and a grey undershirt that left his muscled arms bare.

"Hey, Kid, long time no see," Magnum said drawing Neo's attention to him.

"Magnum!" the god exclaimed before jumping on the bed and hugging the huge dog.

"Alright, enough with the mushy stuff, Brat," the dog said without malice as he pulled back half-heartedly before giving up and letting the young god hug him, "I missed you to, Kid."

A moment later, Neo let go of Magnum, "What are you doing here?"

The immortal animal managed to give a shrug, "I'm back on babysitting duty until Hecate finds something else for me to do. Those are the oddballs that Fate stuck you with, huh?" the dog asked tossing his head in the direction of the other three in the room.

The god rolled his eyes at the snarky canine, "It's not like that. They're perfect," Neo said with a happy smile.

"Just remember that you are the one who said it," the dog replied with a canine grin.

James walked to the bed and grabbed the set of clothes for himself with one hand while the other tousled Neo's hair affectionately, "I'm going to take a shower too, darling."

"Okay," the teen replied.

Tony also grabbed the clothes he had been given and headed to the bathroom, "I'm just going to change."

"No funny business in there," Neo joked.

"No promises," Tony returned before he closed the door shutting in the steam that had gathered in the room from Neo's shower.

Neo glanced over at the other man in the room and instantly felt awkward.

Phil heaved a heavy sigh and rubbed his chest, he figured that now was the time to fix things. He walked over and sat down on the bed but made sure to give Neo his space.

"I didn't know that I had hurt you when I said what I did, and I'm sorry," the man started, "But I wasn't rejecting you. I was just trying to say that it will take a little while for me to understand what's going on. I never thought that anything like this would happen to me, and I've had to come up with a lot of scenarios in my line of work. The truth is I was starting to think that I would be lucky to spend the rest of my life with anyone. Being a secret agent doesn't really give you the chance to have a meaningful relationship with someone else, and I'm not as young as I used to be."

Neo gave a hesitant smile and quipped, "Then it's a good thing I like older men, huh?"

Phil let out a soft chuckle, "Yeah, I guess it is."

Their eyes locked, Neo smiled and Phil felt his lips turn up in response.

"Kiss and make up already," Magnum suddenly said from behind Neo, "You two are making my nose itch."

Neo laughed and looked back at Phil. The older man reached forward cupping the god's face and gently pulling him in for a soft kiss. Neo's heart swelled with happiness and he let it flood through his mate bond as he opened the connections between his mates. Phil pulled back for a second and sighed as the pain in his chest finally disappeared and was filled with something that left him breathless. The sweet smile on Neo's lips drew him back into another kiss.

They finally pulled away when they heard the bathroom door open. James had a knowing look in his eyes and Tony walked out with a smirk on his face, "Yeah right," the billionaire said jokingly, "we both know what you two were doing without us."

"Well then you should get over here, and we won't have to do it without you," Neo said as he stretched across the bed.

Magnum jumped off of the bed and went to the foot of the bed where a large pillow had appeared. He circled before lying down, "I'll warn you once," the canine said looking at the four, "I bite, so don't step on me unless you want to lose a foot." With his warning issued Magnum put his head down and seemed to be asleep.

Phil stood up and started to make his way to the door and back to his room but paused when Neo called his name. He turned and saw green eyes that practically glowed watching him from the bed.

Neo smiled sweetly at the agent, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Phil returned.

 ****Alternate Scene****

" _There is no way of guaranteeing that he's not lying, and that is enough of a reason for me to doubt it," Phil admitted. "I can feel something but I don't know what it is, and I've seen enough in the last few hours to know there are plenty of ways to manipulate emotions and trick someone into thinking they are in love. You have no proof," the agent finished succinctly._

(Alternate scene start)

During Phil and Tony's small argument Neo had not said a word as if he was lost in his own thoughts. "You want to know if it's real?" the god asked quietly. "Okay."

Neo slowly stood up and pulled off his jacket to hang it over one of the chairs in the corner. The god's gaze was focused on his feet as he spoke, "When a witch or wizard dies their soul and magic leave their body, and every spell they have ever cast is cancelled because it is no longer feeding on their magic. It's the reason a mate is able to feel the passing of their other half, because a soul mate bond that is reinforced by magic brakes when the soul and magic leave the body."

James was starting to see were the god was going with his explanation, but when he went to stand he couldn't move. He looked imploringly at his mate, "Neo, don't do what I think you are about to do."

Neo's green gaze caught James' and the god smiled, "It will be fine. I'll be back in a minute, but I'm sorry this will hurt you," his eyes flicked to Tony and the genius was quick to realize that something bad was about to happen. Phil had also caught on, but it was too late as a shadow appeared over Neo's shoulder. It was an indistinct shape but it passed through the young man and disappeared. In that instant two things happened; the first was a painful piercing feeling in the three men's chests, and then a second later the raven haired god's body fell to the floor like a marionette with its strings cut. The pain in there chests didn't disappear instead it morphed into a hollow feeling.

The shadow returned and the three jumped to their feet as it took the shape of a man with white hair and familiar green eyes. The unknown man bent down and picked up the raven haired teen. None of the men wanted to believe what they knew just happened, that Neo's body was there but he was gone.

A chair suddenly appeared and the white haired man sat down with the god's body still cradled in his arms, "He's so dramatic," the man stated, "My little master, so worried about easing your doubt that he would ask me to take his soul to my realm but leave his body behind."

The room was frozen, and Tony had gone as white as a sheet. The billionaire didn't blink as he stared at the limp form of the young man he was coming to care deeply for.

"Death," the mutant said, naming the entity in front of them. "Bring him back," James ordered with a growl. His inner animal was in distress and clawing at his mind in grief. He was seconds away from seeing if his claws could kill the being, because he would do anything to get his mate back.

"Don't growl at me," Death roared and pointed an accusing finger at Phil, "He is the one that demanded proof!"

Wolverine snarled as he remembered that it was Agent's fault that Green-Eyes had basically killed himself. He turned, eyes bleeding red, as he faced one of his mates. He fought between his anger at the man and his instinct not to hurt his mate. His anger was slowly winning.

"Is this evidence enough for you," Death hissed at the blond, "or must I give you more _proof_? Neo's immortality is the only thing keeping the bond from breaking completely and James from ripping your throat out. Perhaps I should sever the bond between you and my master, and watch as you become a shell of who you are. It will be nothing less than what you deserve for scorning such a precious gift. Maybe then you will believe in the soul mate _angle_!"

There was no doubt in Phil Coulson's mind that the entity would do exactly what it said, but after what had happened, feeling that horrible pain so deep it could only have been in his very soul, he couldn't deny what Neo had said. "I'm sorry," the agent said, and he truly was, "I…I believe you."

Death sat back in the chair quietly seething, but a heartbeat later Neo's chest rose and his eyes started to flutter open. When the young god was fully conscious he took in the room and saw Death holding him.

The white-haired entity gave its master a tight hug, "Don't do that again," Death scolded, "You almost gave Tony a heart attack, and James might still kill your agent. Next time you are going to have to figure out another way to prove your point."

Neo winced when he took in the genius' pale appearance, "Sorry, I just couldn't think of another way to show that the bond existed without affecting it myself, and I didn't want Phil to think it was just some spell."

Death gave the agent a cold glare that sent chills down his spine before he looked back at the young god, "You are really not the one that needs to apologize." Death gently nudged Neo into a standing position before the entity and chair disappeared.

Neo looked back and noticed that he was standing right in front of Phil. He felt like he should say something, but he didn't know what. He didn't have to grasp for words long because Phil spoke first.

"I'm sorry," the blonde said somberly, and he couldn't quite look the younger in the eyes.

Neo smiled sweetly and used both hands to gently pull an abruptly startled agent closer to him. The teen could feel his bonds with his mates stronger than ever. The relief that was washing away the anger that came from James, the fading grief from Tony, and the guilt from Phil. The bond pulsed with lingering pain and he sent out a feeling of love to try and calm his mates. Neo looked over Phil's shoulder to see his other two mates and opened his arms wide for them. It felt right when James and Tony came to them and wrapped their arms around Neo and Phil. None of them knew how long they stayed like that.

 _Author Note: Thank you for reading! I just wanted to tell everyone that yes the next chapter will involve Neo's party, and will also be where events of Iron Man 2 come in. I also wanted to say that I am sorry if I confused anyone about the parring in the story, it was not my intension. I started this story not knowing if there was going to be a parring at all, and then I decided that it would be slash, after that I came up with the idea of having more than one soul mate for Neo. Again, I am sorry for any confusion._

 _I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I would love to hear what you thought about it._


	10. Chapter 9

The Law of Three

Chapter 9

James didn't know what woke him, but when he opened his eyes he saw two masses of dark hair lying on his chest. Neo snuggled closer to the mutant and his hand unconsciously trailed over James' stomach. The older man gave a soft smile and raised his hand to smooth over the gods raven locks before placing a kiss on the crown of Neo's head; without a second thought he did the same to the other head of dark hair and the action caused Tony to rub his face against James' chest in his sleep.

The quiet was interrupted by the sound of a camera. James looked up to see a man standing at the foot of the bed, a phone in hand, and his mischievous blue eyes watching the three.

"I'm a little disappointed," the man said, "I thought there would be one more."

The voice stirred Neo from his sleep and he looked up to see James awake staring at Hermes, "Dad? What time is it?"

"A quarter to eight, so you might want to get up now if you want your little party to go off without a hitch," Hermes told his son, "I'll wait in the dining room, looks like your servant has breakfast, so hurry up."

"Ugh, this is the first time I have ever wanted to say no to a party," Tony grumbled, letting the others in the room know that the billionaire was _reluctantly_ awake now.

Neo looked into the genius' sleepy eyes and smiled guiltily, "You don't have to get up now, go back to sleep for a little while, Tony."

The genius raised his head off of James chest so he could rub the sleep out of his eye, "No, I'm awake already. I just need some coffee, fast."

The young god shook his head. "You Yanks and your coffee," he quipped, then waited until Tony moved his hand to lean in and give the genius a quick kiss. Neo then turned to James and pecked the man on the lips, "Good morning, you two." Pulling away, Neo got out of bed disappearing into the walk-in closet.

"You know a good breakfast would be just as good as a cup of coffee?" Neo called from the closet.

"Sorry, I don't really do breakfast," Tony replied, raising his voice so the younger could hear him.

Neo walked out of the closet with a bundle of clothes in his hand and laid them at the foot of the bed, making sure not to step on Magnum who was still curled-up on his pillow; "Well, you've already had Elric's breakfast, so I know you're just being contrary," he said before he pulled off his undershirt and sleep pants without hesitation; since he had changed in front of others before, Neo had no problems with being in view of his two mates, but he didn't miss the way Tony's sky-blue eyes and James steely-blue pair were now watching his every move. He tossed his night clothes in a tall hamper basket next to the dresser. Tony frowned unhappy as Neo pulled on a dark red shirt that obscured the vision of the god's perfect flesh; then he put on a pair of jeans that perfectly hugged his butt and thighs. Neo slipped his feet into his boots and strapped Marvápn to his wrists, before putting on his jacket. Looking at his mates and noticed their transfixed gazes, Neo rolled his eyes, "Are you going to lie there all day?"

The genius laughed before he asked, "Shows over, huh?" then Tony rolling off the left side of the bed to make his way to the closet.

"I guess so," James replied as he got off the other side.

Neo chuckled, "Maybe I should stare while you get dressed, it would only be fair," he said in mock seriousness.

"Yeah, but then I can't guarantee that we would leave the bedroom anytime soon," Tony joked as he came out. He quickly changed into a band shirt and jeans. When he went to put his wallet in his pocket it fell and a leaf came out. Tony picked it up curiously and opened his wallet to find two more leaves, but not the sixty dollars he had won last night. The genius looked at the green-eyed teen inquiringly when he heard Neo snicker.

"You were playing against a Tanuki yokai," Neo stated, "They are spirits that normally look like raccoon dogs, hence their name, but they are shape-shifters with the ability to transfigure objects into anything else. Tanuki are notoriously mischievous and love playing tricks on humans. I thought he might try to exchange the real money for leaves, it's an old trick."

"How do you know that?" the genius asked curiously.

"I wanted to do research after I saw my first ghost, so when I was eleven I spent my free time in private reading about ghosts and spirits around the world."

James came out of the closet buckling his belt and already dressed in a white shirt and blue-jeans.

"Aw, you're no fun," the god replied with an exaggerated pout. The mutant simply kissed the pout away. Neo sighed, "…and I'm already head over heels for you, but I have to get out of here before I forget I'm on a schedule. Come on, Tony, Elric should have a cup of coffee waiting for you."

That was when Magnum decided to stop pretending he was asleep. The old dog got up and shook himself before padding over to the door which swung open due to the canine's magic. His grumbling could be heard as the three men followed him down the hall, "I don't care about coffee but he better not try to feed me dog food, or we'll be having a little talk."

The dining room table had been loaded down with a buffet of breakfast foods by the time they arrived, Hermes was already sitting with food on his plate, and Elric was bringing out a plate of scrambled eggs to set next to a plate of French toast. Their mouths began to water and Tony was the first to the table, where he took a chair that already had a cup of black coffee in front of it. Neo and James were calmer in taking their seats. Magnum plopped down in front of a plate and food started gathering itself in front of the dog; it made Neo laugh when a piece of sausage that was heading for Magnum's plate appeared to pick up an egg and wear it like a hat before it jumped onto the plate and went still.

It only took the young god a moment to notice someone missing, "Where is Phil?"

Elric answered as he placed a cup of tea next to Neo's plate, "Banafrit went to get him a moment ago, and he should be here shortly, Master. I was about to come get you myself before you arrived."

Phil came in a few minutes later. He saw the four men and dog sitting at the table of food and his stomach growled, but he hesitated, "I came to say goodbye. I should really be getting to work…" he started only to be interrupted by Neo, who gave him an unimpressed look.

"Sit down, Phillip," the god said with a nod to the chair next to Tony, "I let you and Clint believe that you had tricked me into thinking you actually had to go to work today, but I know that you just got off of a mission, so are not expected back in the field for another two days…oh, and the paperwork you might think about citing as a reason to leave can be completed any time between now and then."

Phil didn't take a seat and instead stood staring at the younger man questioningly.

Neo answered the unasked question, "I know that SHIELD requires a minimum period of two days leave for any agent that was on a mission lasting longer than seventy-two hours, unless it is an emergency, and I know that because I glanced through SHIELD's regulations while I was perusing some files a friend lent me yesterday. Your debriefing was yesterday, which means that today is your first day of leave. I might be young, but I am far from ignorant. In fact, you would be surprised what I know, even after I shared my life story.

"So, please join us, and have something to eat…" when Neo noticed that Tony was on his second cup of coffee but hadn't touched the food he added, "…both of you."

"Heh, you're acting like a mother hen, Kiddo, maybe you should have been a daughter instead of a son," Hermes joked as he took a sip of his orange juice.

Neo smirked, "Then I would be twice as bad, using my feminine whiles like Aphrodite, and you would be expecting a grandchild in the near future."

The comment caused Hermes, and Tony, to choke on their drinks for a few seconds. Neo smiled evilly as his father gave him a watery glare. Magnum was making a huffing noise that was his version of a quiet laugh.

"That's not funny, Kiddo, you almost made me choke to death, which for a god is not a very dignified way to go."

"That was hilarious," Magnum countered, "especially since you almost choked to death thinking your son had been "deflowered", and I'm the one that gets to tell Hecate."

"Magnum, shut up!" Neo hissed in a whisper that everyone heard because the dog was sitting the farthest from the young god; his cheeks were a bright red as he avoided James knowing gaze.

The dog gave a huff, "Call it like I see it, Squirt."

Neo gave a sharp glare before sighing and changing subjects, "Anyway, the party I've planned is this afternoon at five o'clock and we will be having an early dinner," he addressed Hermes, "Were you able to send out all the invitations?"

"Do you doubt the god of Messengers?" Hermes asked jokingly, "Elric finished them this morning and they've already been delivered, which did take some time no thanks to you. I mean, Clint, that's a first name. Do you know how many people have the first name Clint?"

"No, no! Don't tell me, let me guess," Neo said good-naturedly, "Probably only one that works for SHIELD. Am I right?"

Hermes shrugged it off, "Good guess."

"You mean, Clint Barton?" Phil asked pausing in his meal.

Neo nodded and smeared some jam on his toast before taking a bite.

"Yeah, him, and your director too," Hermes answered for the younger god.

"Which are the guests I'm not counting on coming," Neo added.

Hermes smirked, "Oh, I've got a good feeling that they will."

Neo smiled at his father, Hermes was every bit the trickster that mythology depicted him as and Neo knew whatever his father had done was going to be good enough to get the SHIELD agents to come.

"I don't remember you saying anything about invitations," Tony stated before he ate a fork full of his stuffed toast. He was pretending that it was a donut big enough to eat with a fork.

"I texted Dad last night before bed," Neo explained, "Elric and Dad where getting everything ready before we even fell asleep."

"And you're just letting him throw a party?" Tony asked the older god.

Hermes gave a crooked smile as he replied, "Hey, I finally get to spoil one of my children, so I'm not going to miss out on an opportunity and when I read the guest list I couldn't say no."

Tony shook his head, "No don't get me wrong, I think it is great that you're letting him, I just wish my Dad was as…well let's just say he wasn't as generous."

For the rest of the morning Elric and the other servants prepared for the party. There was a cool breeze and the weather was perfect for being outdoors, so they opened up the glass doors of the large sun room to allow the breeze to blow through, and set up a grill that would be manned by a spirit who had been a chef in his previous life and was now one of Neo's cooks. The sun room would be the perfect area to sit and eat. The kitchen was also preparing an assortment of drinks to serve. Elric was running the other servants ragged as he made everything "perfect" for his master, because that is what was expected.

The glass-walled room was so large that it was easily the size of a small house. On one side of the room was a large sitting area; there was a matching set of four giant leather couches with four large chairs between each couch; the furniture was grouped in a circle around a large coffee table. Past the sitting area were a piano and a pool table with a set of bar stools for players. The other half of the room had one large oak table with wood chairs that could seat eighteen comfortably. The whole room was decorated with potted plants.

It was twelve o'clock by the time everything was set up. Magnum then ordered Neo to train for the next four hours and then he could get ready before his guests arrived. The younger god rolled his eyes but knew not to argue with his trainer, so he left Tony working on something on his phone while Phil and James sat enjoying the semi-quiet.

 ***Break***

Fury rubbed his brow trying to get rid of the migraine that was slowly developing. He hadn't gotten any sleep the night before, since he had been trying and failing to get information on Neo Thorson, the mysterious young man that Nick suspected was trying to compromise one of his best agents. He had a birth certificate and other basic documentation, even test scores, but Neo had traveled around the world as a kid with his guardian, who had been handling everything for the boy until recently when it seemed he settled down in the U.S. and ran into Tony Stark of all people. Then the kid pops back up in New Mexico while SHIELD is investigating a strange object of unknown origin, which turns out to be a hammer, belonging to a supposed "god". And now, the kid has kidnapped one of his agents, and thanks to Romanoff and her smart idea of making a deal, Fury was not supposed to make contact with Phil for the next two days, unless Coulson showed up on his own. Natasha had told him that the boy was expecting Phil to come in today; Nick didn't know where he had gotten that idea from but it would work in his favor so he didn't think about it…that is until the clock hit twelve and there was still no Phil. It was now 3:49 a.m. and he was close to calling his agent to make sure the man was still alive.

A junior agent walked in and temporarily distracted him.

"It better be good, Agent," the director warned.

"The files you requested, sir," the young woman replied sheepishly as she held up a thin folder.

Fury suddenly remembered his request for a set of hard copies of Thorson's birth certificate, citizenship record and anything else they could get on the seventeen year old. The thickness of the file made his eyebrow tick. The kid's classification as a duel U.S. and U.K. citizen gave Fury access to his files but it also kept him from digging too deep into the background of a U.S. citizen without just cause.

He held out his hand and took the files before the agent scurried out the door, and made a mental note to look into the junior agents training; he knew he could be intimidating but it was dangerous for an agent to show that they were nervous, especially in the field.

Opening the folder, Fury did not expect to find a letter addressed to him sitting innocently inside. He picked up the letter wearily and was just about to send it to the lab to be tested when Agent Barton walked in. Barton was dressed in a faded blue shirt and black jeans; the civilian attire obviously meant he considered whatever his reason, urgent enough not to change into his gear before barging into Fury's office. Especially since the man was on leave.

Clint saw the letter in the director's hand and held up an identical one with his name on it, "I see you got one too," Clint stated, "Mine was delivered with a singing telegram…there was a girl in a pink pony costume and that's all I'm saying."

A muscle in Fury's jaw twitched, "It was in a file I just received."

"Well, if security cleared it…" Clint said as he broke the wax seal on his letter. Fury hesitated for a minute but opened his too.

 _You are cordially invited to attend a dinner party this evening at the home of Neo Thorson. Dinner will be served at six, please call the number below as soon as possible if you wish to attend, and a vehicle will arrive to pick you up no later than 4:30 pm._

 _Thank you,_

 _Elric Graves_

 _Personal Assistant_

 _R.S.V.P. – (xxx) xxx-1134_

 _P.S.: Mr. Thorson asks that you leave all tracking devises at your SHIELD headquarters, but he expresses his understanding if you wish to bring your own food and drink._

"Is this for real?" Clint asked as he got done reading his letter, "I mean, if this is a joke someone went through a lot of trouble. What do you think, sir?"

"Like you said, Barton, someone went to a lot of trouble to send these invitations. It would be impolite to refuse," Fury said, but the other man understood what the director wasn't saying. The invitation was his way of finding out more.

They had to act quickly since their ride would arrive soon, so Clint called the number to say that they would be attending while Fury came up with a rough plan for gathering information at the party; Clint would socialize and pay attention to what the other guests might say, and Fury would be his typical self and confront the teen head on.

At exactly 4:30 pm the same stretch Hummer, which dropped off the kid and his boyfriend the day before, pulled up outside of the SHIELD building where the two spies were waiting.

A white haired man got out of the passenger's seat and met them at the side of the vehicle to greet them, "Hello, I am Elric Graves, Mr. Thorson's personal assistant," He didn't bother offering his hand, "If you are ready we can be on our way." Elric opened the door and allowed Barton to enter but stopped Fury with a raised hand, "Mr. Thorson did express his wishes for you to leave your tracking devices here, Director Fury," he said golden eyes staring the man in his good eye. Fury pulled out a small round device and handed it over but the assistant didn't move. It took a moment but Fury finally took his watch off and handed it over. When the white haired man still didn't move the dark skinned man narrowed his eye and glared for a whole minute before reaching down and pulled out the tracker that had been sown into the top of his boot. "You should be happy to know that you will be allowed to keep your sidearm and emergency beacon, as long as you do not use them while in Mr. Thorson's home."

"Joy," Fury growled as he got into the vehicle.

Elric put the items he had collected into a cloth bag and let the dark skinned man watch him as he threw the bag into the trashcan sitting on the curb. No doubt Fury would be picking them up later if no one else did. Then he got into the back with the two men.

Elric made sure he had their attention before he spoke, "The two of you have previously met Mr. Thorson, and that was enough for him to generously invite you to his home, so I simply ask you to not take advantage of his hospitality. Mr. Thorson is hoping to establish a good rapport with SHIELD, and each of you personally, since Agent Coulson works with you. I am pleased that you accepted my master's invitation, but know that any action against my master will not be tolerated. We are here," Elric finished.

Fury and Clint turned to the windows and watched as the Hummer entered the gate of a large estate in what looked like the country side. It confused them because they had not been in the car long enough to make it out of New York City, but now they were in an area surrounded by hills and trees.

Elric held the door as they got out and then showed them the way to the sun room before he turned and left.

Neo was standing at the pool table next to Tony Stark and the man he had introduced as James when they were at SHIELD, and Coulson was in one of the stools. All four of them seemed to be in the middle of a game. There was another man and a dog sitting on the couch closest to the table watching the players.

"So that's "Anthony", and someone else," Clint observed, "Looks like Thorson's got quite the collection of older male boyfriends."

"Try not to sound so jealous, Barton," Fury grumbled in his usual acidic tone.

Neo and the others had noticed them by then and moved to greet them as the agents stood at the door.

"Hello," the green-eyed teen welcomed Fury and Clint, "I wasn't expecting you so soon, as you can see you are the first ones here. If you can wait I'll be making introductions after everyone arrives, which should be any moment now."

Coincidentally that was when the group coming from Xavier's school arrived; Charles rolled into the room in his motorized wheelchair with Erik, Victor and Bucky walking in after him. Neo's cousins came in a few seconds later with Argyros and Zoul, the bird was on Jormungandr's shoulder and the shadow wolf was following Fenrir. When the silver falcon spotted his godling, Argyros leapt off of Jormungandr's shoulder and circled the guests to land on Neo's left shoulder.

" _You are not allowed to leave me behind again,_ " the falcon reprimanded with a nip to Neo's ear and then struck a regal pose as he made himself look taller and puffed out his chest, " _You are a hatchling, and I must protect you. How am I supposed to do that if you leave me with the dogs?_ "

"Sorry," Neo apologized with a chuckle, "but I promise that you can come with me next time I suddenly get killed and sent back in time, or I'm on a date."

" _Good,_ " Argyros replied with a bob of his head.

"We have to work on your sarcasm, mate." Neo noticed the curious faces around him, "It's a long story, and I don't even know all of the technical details, so moving on…ah!" Neo wasn't expecting the cold wetness that jabbed him in the neck so he flinched away.

Zoul was looking back at Neo with his glowing red eyes and an innocent tilt to his head, " _Is something wrong, Alpha?_ "

"Your nose is cold, silly," he replied while scratching the shadow wolf behind the ear.

Elric walked into the room again with four other guests; Pepper and Happy—both seemed a little confused—Sirius and Remus. All four where looking around and taking in the room.

"Hey guys, Pepper, Happy, welcome," Neo said making his way over to the new arrivals. Sirius met him halfway and swung an arm around the teen's shoulders. Pepper and Happy made a bee line for Tony and the woman started speaking to the billionaire in hushed whispers.

"This is a nice place, Pup," the animagus commented as they stopped next to the group.

"Thanks, Sirius." Neo's eyes took in the seating area and he wondered if there was enough room. "Bucky," he called to the soldier; "Can you help me move this couch back?"

"Sure," Bucky nodded and stood on the opposite side of the couch Neo pointed out and they both gripped the large piece of furniture and moved it back about four feet, their godly-strength and peek-strength making it easy to move.

"That's fine," Neo decided when he felt the couch was far enough from the other ones.

"What's up with the sudden need to redecorate?" Fenrir asked.

"I was just making sure Charles had enough room," the younger god said casually.

Said mutant smiled, "Thank you."

"Of course, let's all take a seat shall we."

The group was pleasantly surprised when there was enough room for everyone to sit comfortably. James sat on the end of one couch with Neo beside him, and Zoul jumped up next to the young god taking up the rest of that couch. Everyone else took a seat and Neo glanced around the circle from left to right; Bucky was sitting in a chair; Hermes, Magnum and Jormungandr on a couch; Pepper in another chair; Happy, Tony, Phil, and Clint on the sofa across from Neo's; Fury in a chair next to Charles in his wheelchair while Erik sat next to his husband on the last couch with Fenrir and Victor; and Sirius and Remus shared the last chair. The youngest god waited until everyone was sitting before he leaned back into James' chest and got comfortable.

"I thought you promised no kids, darlin'," James grumbled as he glanced at Fenrir while wrapping an arm around his mate.

Green eyes gave the feral mutant a commiserating look, "Technically he isn't a child, even if mentally he is a two year old," Neo replied in good humor.

"Hey!" the amber eyed god barked in annoyance at Neo.

"He can't act his age," Jormungandr joined in, "or he would have to act like a speck of dust."

"Oh! You're going to call me older than dirt? Then what does that make you, _big brother_?" the wolf god shot back.

The blonde god let a smirk slowly curl his lips as he said, "Classic."

Fenrir snorted, "Classic dirt."

"Alright, you two, you delayed the introductions long enough," Neo interrupted the two siblings.

"Oh, I'm sure they could keep going," Hermes quipped, "and we are still waiting for one person."

Neo gave him a curious look but remembered that the table on the other side of the room has eighteen chairs, and there were only seventeen of them in the room.

"Not anymore," a voice said from the door leading into the house. Hephaestus was coming toward the group and Elric was behind him. The blacksmith came around the couches to sit next to the messenger god, and Elric moved to stand behind Neo in his regular position.

Neo smiled, "I didn't know you were coming."

"Your father told me about the party. I realize I was not invited but I remembered I had something for your friend," the god answered with a look in Bucky's direction.

"Nonsense," the green-eyed god said, "You are always welcome, Lord Hephaestus."

Hephaestus gave Neo a pleased look, "It's interesting that you would show such respect to an uninvited guest, when you showed almost none to Zeus."

Neo smirked but then his face became serious, "Zeus tried to demand my respect when it can only be earned. He's lucky I didn't try to shove his precious Lightning Bolt up his arse. Sure I would have had zero chance of succeeding, but I would have given it one hell of an effort."

"I think it's time that we get to the part where you say who the hell everyone is and why we're here, or is this just a major waste of time?" Fury finally spoke up.

The young god gave the black clad man an affronted look, "Far from it, this was meant to be a polite meeting of allies. A way to bridge the gap between groups that would otherwise have little contact with each other," Neo explained.

"Please allow me to make the introductions, Master," Elric politely requested. Neo nodded and the guardian spirit continued, gesturing to each person as he spoke, "First, my Lord's father, Lord Hermes, his uncles Lord Hephaestus, Lord Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, and two cousins Fenrir and Jormungandr (A.N. it reveals why he uses their real names later). Next, Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, who run a school for gifted youth while Victor and James Howlett are brothers who substitute at the school. Then, James Barnes, who is a soldier, his last assignment ended abruptly—Mr. Barnes has been staying at the school for the last few days."

"Call me, Bucky," the soldier said quietly with his usual charming smile.

The three agents were listening carefully to the introductions; but when the brunette man said his nickname, Phil took a second look and his eyes widened.

The spirit continued, "Anthony Stark is owner of Stark Industries. Virginia Potts is Mr. Stark's personal assistant while Harold Hogan is his personal bodyguard."

"Tony," the genius corrected, "and he means Pepper and Happy."

Elric acted unaffected by the billionaire's interruption, "Last, Director Nicholas Fury is head of SHIELD, Clinton Barton and Phillip Coulson are two of his best agents."

"Yeah, but you forgot to mention how 'your Lord' is dating James, Tony and Phil," Clint added.

Pepper's back went as tight as a bow string at the archer's words, and she looked at Tony, "You didn't tell me that."

"I was going to, Pep, I just never found the right time," the billionaire explained.

"So if it was never the right time, you wouldn't have said anything? That's not rational, Tony. How long have you been attracted to him?"

"Since I saw him, that's usually how instant attraction works."

Her mouth opened but it took a second for her to say something, "You mean it's been almost a whole month and you still haven't said anything? What? Were you waiting for me to walk in on you two, so you didn't have to tell me yourself?"

Tony gave her a disbelieving look, "I'm pretty sure you've told me before that you don't want to hear about every person that I find attractive."

"This is different Tony! You've never actually considered _dating_ anyone you found attractive before," Pepper paused and thought about something before she asked, "That's why you stopped, wasn't it? The whole time I've known you, you were always flirting but you've been different lately, especially since the night that your hallway was destroyed. What happened?"

"That would be the night I came back from New Mexico. I found Tony in his room with two women…and I got upset," Neo explained sheepishly. He felt a growl vibrate through James chest, as the mutant pulled him impossibly closer to the man's chest.

"You asked Phil out on a date while you were in New Mexico. Sounds like a double standard to me," Clint commented.

"It does, but then again not everything is what it seems when it comes to our family," Neo said as his green-eyes turned and pierced the archer will a glare, "You would know, cousin…" Neo saw the slight widening of Clint's eyes and smirked, "…Chiron keeps meticulous records, even when it comes to legacy children. Imagine how surprised I was when I came across your name. It is a small world."

Pepper was confused at the answer, "What do you mean, your family?"

Chuckling, the god of Messengers spoke, "Well, I figure you've heard at least one or two stories about my father's illegitimate children. Hera really gets mad at him, but she is the goddess of marriage, so infidelity is a pet peeve. Still Hercules, Perseus, and the other children of Zeus were legends…and even though he's not as obvious about it, Neo _is_ a god...and his godly powers make it possible for him to sense his soul mates," Hermes elaborated, "Even if gods aren't technically supposed to have soul mates, Neo is drawn to his. Mortal men are not as sensitive to soul-bonds as beings of magic and myth. Then again, Tony, Phil and James had the choice to accept or reject Neo as their soul mate and they accepted—all three are consenting adults—so don't get your panties in a twist. So, change of subject, how about something to drink?"

"Scotch," Tony said promptly and avoided the look that Pepper was not-so-subtly throwing in his direction.

The red-head shot an apologizing smile at Neo, and he was pretty sure that Pepper thought Hermes was crazy.

Pepper spoke next, "I could use a glass of ice water," her eyes darted to Elric who she had previously met as Neo's butler/bodyguard.

"I wouldn't say no to a glass of Ogden's," the request came from Sirius.

Remus just shook his head, "I'll have water, too."

Erik requested a scotch, Bucky a whiskey, James and Victor ordered beers, and Clint wanted coffee while Charles, Phil, and Happy asked for water. When it was the Olympians and Asgardians turns, Hermes told Elric to serve the gods from the bottles he had brought; of course Fury refused anything.

"I will be back in a moment," Elric replied before gracefully disappearing from the room. He returned with a cart carrying all of the drinks and extra bottles to refill the glasses. Trailing behind the spirit were house elves, and imps holding trays of goodies that the left on the coffee table. There were biscuits (cookies), cucumber sandwiches, and an assortment of sweets, Neo spotted a chocolate frog box among them.

Pepper was so startled by the little creatures, that all she could do was stare wide-eyed in shock. Happy appeared to be having the same reaction, the others were less surprised and Charles even appeared slightly fascinated, while Fury seemed almost wary.

When a glass of amber liquid was sat down in front of Neo, he gave his father a curious look before taking a sip; when the liquid hit his tongue Neo briefly realized it was ambrosia before he lost all thought to the delicious taste that flooded his mouth. The young god drank greedily and didn't notice as he let out a loud moan of pleasure, but he did blush when he opened his eyes to see the looks that he was being given. Tony was giving him a smoldering look and he could feel the way that James had stiffened behind him.

"Is it that good, darlin'?" the man behind him questioned playfully, but Neo picked up the roughness in James voice.

"I can't blame him," Hermes stated with a shrug, "It's always like that, the rest of us have just gotten used to it over the years."

"Maybe I should try it," Sirius commented playfully.

"No!" The tandem objection by the two Olympian's surprised everyone. Hephaestus looked grim as he warned, "The drink of the gods is not for mortals to consume, even demigods must be careful."

"Gods?" Pepper asked disbelievingly, her skepticism was obvious and Hermes looked at his brother in concern about how he would take the woman's attitude.

Hephaestus' face had its usual stony appearance.

Neo took a deep breath, "It is true, Pepper, I am a god, and a good portion of my family are divine beings."

Clint interrupted, "Wow, I've met people with god-complexes before, but you actually think you're a god…"

Elric gave the agent a flat look, angry on his master's behalf, "You're attempt at discrediting my master is not amusing Agent Barton."

A giggle was heard in the room and most eyes turned to Pepper, who shook her head, "It wasn't me."

Neo, Jormungandr, and Hermes turned to Fenrir. The young wolf god narrowed his eyes, "That's not funny."

Elric looked like he wanted to roll his eyes as he let out a silent sigh, "Banafrit, Nafrit, if you two must be here after I expressly forbid it then stop hiding and greet the guests."

The brunette cat-girl popped up behind Clint excitedly exclaiming, "Hello, guests!" Her sister also rose from behind the couch, and Banafrit gave a quiet, "Hello." Every eye in the room was on the two and it was slightly unnerving.

"Look sister," Nafrit said in not quite a whisper as her eyes found Pepper, "her hair, she is so pretty."

"Yes," Banafrit agreed the whiskers on her face moving as her nose twitched, "and she smells like flowers."

Nafrit suddenly let out a hiss as she barred her teeth. The charcoal-haired sister turned to see what the disturbance was and found the large black shadow wolf on the sofa next to Neo and the big dog sitting next to Hermes.

"Dogs," Banafrit said as her ears pinned themselves back in irritation.

"Magnum is a friend," Neo said nodding to the black and tan dog, "and Zoul is pack, so you will treat them kindly."

The two sisters suddenly seemed confused, "They are dogs, Master," Nafrit commented as if that explained everything.

"Are you arguing with the master, Nafrit," Elric asked with a raised eyebrow.

Banafrit quickly answered for her sister, "No, we would never do that! We just…do not like… _dogs_."

Magnum let out a growl from his sitting position on the couch.

Nafrit, who Neo noticed was obviously the more curious one, tilted her head and walked around the couches until she was behind the immortal dog. "This one seems smarter than a normal dog," she blurted.

Banafrit had moved too and was standing on the other side of Magnum. The dark gray colored sister seemed to purr as she reached out and ran her fingers over one of the dog's ears, "Interesting."

Magnum barked and snapped his teeth at the cat-girl.

The brunette cat-girl took that as her opportunity to touch him too, and ran her hand down his back.

Magnum stood on all fours on the couch as he turned to Nafrit and bared his teeth threateningly.

Nafrit backed up but she looked over the dog's head and to her sister. Banafrit gave the brunette a mischievous smirk that she returned and both suddenly seemed to pounce on the dog and started petting him, and rubbing behind his ears.

Magnum squirmed and tried to get away but the two sisters followed him to the floor, Nafrit actually going over the couch.

Magnum heard as Neo let out a surprised breath and started laughing out loud; Hermes had the same reaction as his son. The magical dog growled and sent invisible stinging hexes at the two gods.

Neo jumped and started rubbing his shin as he gave the dog a sharp look, "Alright, that's enough," the green-eyed teen said, and the servants quickly moved apart.

"If you two are finished, go check on the food," Elric ordered in his usual placid tone, but the spirit kept his golden eyes on the two servants as they left.

Neo gave his guardian spirit an exasperated look, "Elric, you should relax."

Elric gave a polite smile in return, "As you wish, my Lord."

A little while later, Banafrit and Nafrit came back with news that the food would be done soon; things went by quickly after that. The conversation flowed smoothly with topics ranging from myths and legend (Pepper was slowly warming to the idea of gods existing), to technological advancements which was mostly a conversation between Hephaestus and Tony; later the ex-soldiers took turns sharing stories and Bucky was able to join in.

As the conversation started to die down, Elric took the chance to sneak away and check on the food, he quickly returned to tell them it was ready. They had all sat down and Elric gave them a number of different choices, between hamburgers, hot dogs, steak, and chicken and practically anything else that could be grilled. When Pepper asked for a salad, Elric brought her a chief salad with an assortment of dressings. Neo was surprised that they had that much to choose from, and even more surprised when he found out that they were also using an open fire pit and hibachi. Fury finally had a glass of water.

Clint noted the food choices and asked why they were grilling everything.

Neo sat down his shrimp kabob, swallowing before he answered, "I promised James that we wouldn't have anything fancy for lunch. This way Elric gets to have everything look fancy, but the food is simple."

"I also remember you saying something about a 'reward'," Tony interjected with a raised brow.

Neo nodded but gave an impish smirk, "Yes, but I said that's only if you survive, and we're not done yet," he joked, but then the gods face turned puzzled as he felt a warning from the wards. He turned his head to the right and glanced out of the corner of his eye at Elric standing behind him. The servant silently nodded and left through the door leading into the house.

"What is it?" Fury asked noticing the silent exchange.

Neo sat back abandoning his food, "It looks like I have more guests," he finally said his eyes focused on the door Elric left through.

The atmosphere in the room became wary, as everyone seemed to wait for something to happen.

Elric returned with a familiar figure following him.

"Jim, what are you doing here?" Neo asked as he stood up.

The blonde android had a grave expression as he replied, "There is a situation brewing. Director Nightshade told me to bring you in. We can handle it ourselves, but the situation is very unique."

Neo listened, and sent the equivalent of a mental poke to Death wondering what she was up to now. Death didn't actually reply in words, and instead Neo felt her amusement. It didn't really tell him anything but since Death wasn't worried he figured he shouldn't be either.

"Well it looks like I will have to cut the party short, everyone," Neo said in apology. Most of the group stood from their chairs at that, but Neo stopped them from saying anything as he continued speaking, "Elric," there was no reply. Neo looked to where he could sense the spirit. The white haired man was holding a blonde man in a red and black suit at knife point, Elric's gleaming dagger pressed to the man's chest. "So, that's where my other guest got off to."

"Oh look, a fellow lover of pointy things, a man _literally_ after my own heart," the blonde remarked then let out a sheepish chuckle.

"I said you would not be able to sneak in here, Wilson," Jim said with a sigh.

Neo snorted, "Who is this Jim?"

"Wade Wilson, sir, he was originally a mercenary but has been an operative for the last few years."

James spoke up in a slightly gruff tone, "I met him on a job in Africa, and I couldn't get rid of him. When he walked into headquarters they offered him a job."

"Yeah, and it was fun spending time with you, really, because I've always wanted to sit that close to a man that reminds me of a sweaty lumberjack," Wade commented as Elric re-sheathed his dagger, "you're a dream come true."

"Trust me, bub, you're not my first choice," James returned with a growl.

The blonde gave a wide grin, "Oh, come on, old buddy. Eventually I grow on people, like a fungus!"

Neo smiled and turned to James, "Can we keep him?"

"No," was the automatic reply.

Neo put on a fake pout, "Aw, but you're the one who brought him home. I just want to keep him."

Wade looked at the green-eyed teen curiously, "Oh wait, does that mean I get belly rubs and those little bone shaped snacks?"

"Hold on, I think Phil and I should get a say in this too," Tony said quickly.

"Nope…James, Phillip and you are my boyfriends and it's a rule that you have to give me what I want…It is!" the young god declared when he saw Tony's cynical look, "and Phillip didn't even sleep with us last night, so I'm vetoing his vote," Neo stated with an impish smirk. The young god knew exactly how that sounded, and he enjoyed the sputter Clint let out as he tried not to laugh.

"I've heard of dueling swords, but you guys must be like the Three Musketeers," Wade quipped, "oh and don't forget their young boy-toy, d'Artagnan. It's that whole " _all for one and one for all"_ thing, right?"

The young god let out a chuckle, "More like a Pharaoh and his Harem," Neo's green-eyes met James' steel-blue and he grinned like the Cheshire cat, "…we are so keeping him."

It had been a long time since anyone appreciated his sense of humor and Wade was enjoying the banter, "Alright! So is this a casual affaire, or are we just adding one more member to the band?"

"Ha, I'm with the Pup, I like him," Sirius added.

Remus groaned and face-palmed, "Oh gods, no…"

"Sir," Jim spoke up bringing Neo's attention back to the android, "we don't have a lot of time. The situation calmed down but it will likely escalate again."

"What situation?" Bucky asked. He remembered the blonde from Neo's team during the war, suddenly the last few days vanished and he was back on the front lines.

Charles spoke before Jim could reply, "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"I'm sure that won't be necessary…" Jim started to say.

"Jim is right," Neo said with a nod, "I'm just being asked to observe."

"Well, there goes dinner," Fenrir commented with a frown.

"…but this would be the perfect time to give you the gift I brought." Hephaestus mentioned as he pulled out a leather pouch and tossed it to Bucky. "I believe you were promised something to equal your friend's shield, correct?"

The brunette soldier looked down at the pouch in his hands and when the dark-skinned god gave him a nod, Bucky pulled the drawstrings apart. He reached in and pulled out a pair of fingerless leather gloves. He felt the warm leather of the gloves before he put them on. They were a perfect fit.

"They activate with a thought, which is an idea I picked up from my nephew's weapon," Hephaestus said.

Bucky wondered what he meant by activate as he stared at the gloves, and that was when something happened; instantly silver plates were expanding from the gloves to cover the entire area of Bucky's arms and all of his shoulders. He blinked in awe as he moved his arms and the metal seemed to bend with them like it was a second-skin.

"Wow, he's got some shiny guns," Wilson said as everyone admired the gift, "Well, not the "Bang Bang" kind, but you know what I mean."

"What is it made out of?" Tony questioned as he observed the strange, flexible metal.

"It is the same metal, as Captain America's impenetrable shield."

Neo pat Bucky on the back "Looks like you finally meet Fate's expectations, just don't ever let it become a burden. You're lucky though…"

Bucky noted the pause, "Why do you say that?"

"…because you'll have someone to help you. I'm pretty sure Life called him your equal," Neo alluded.

The young green-eyed god gave a sigh, "Time to go to work. Elric! I want evacuation and containment teams ready and on standby until further notice. Clean-up crews need to be notified and ready to move, make sure that any damage already done is assigned as secondary priority, but I want it cleaned up as soon as the current situation has been handled."

"My teams are ready to go," Jim commented.

"Good, then coordinate with Elric and we should be able to finish this quickly when things go to hell." Neo faced the rest of the room, "I'm going to ask everyone to stay here until I am sure that things are safe."

"No way am I staying put when there's something to be doing," Victor objected.

"Not happening, darlin'," James said the hard look in his eyes told Neo there was no room for argument.

"Fine, but you two can't blame me when you're playing babysitter for some teen idol," Neo reminded the feral mutant's of Death's threat. The brother's looked at each other and suddenly didn't seem so sure. "I'm not going in guns blazing," Neo stated, "I'm just being cautious. Nothing's going to happen."

"He's right," Jim said, "Neo is only being asked to observe the situation." Among the things that the android had learned in the last half century as Assistant Director, was how to word things. He liked to be able to say that he never lied; however, Jim knew that the likelihood of running into trouble was high and Neo would do what he could to help, still Jim was only "asking" the god to observe.

"What situation?" Pepper asked frustrated with all of the secrecy.

"A general has a vendetta against his daughter's boyfriend and is hunting him down," the android summed up.

"That doesn't sound so bad, more like a misuse of military funding than a situation," Clint commented.

"They destroyed part of a university campus," Jim deadpanned.

"Sounds like a heck of a party, and no one invited me," the sarcastic comment came from Wade who had made his way over to the table and was nibbling on one of Neo's shrimp kebabs.

"I don't suppose there is any way to stop you," Charles said as he wheeled up to Neo, "but I will know if you need help."

Neo understood the meaning and smiled, "Keep me in your thoughts, Charles, but keep your eyes on everyone else for me." He turned to his old teammate, "Jim, I need a name, who am I looking for?" Neo asked as he walked to the outer doors, where he stopped before leaving.

"Bruce Banner," the blonde android answered.

Neo nodded and looked over his shoulder to the silver bird that had been perched on the back of his chair, "Argyros, didn't you say you were coming?"

The silver falcon beat his wings and took to the air flying over everyone's head to soar out the door and made a slow circle above the Citadel waiting for Neo.

"I'm coming too," Bucky stated.

The teen god gave the soldier a questioning look but Bucky was resolute, in the end Neo agreed with a silent nod. The jacket on Neo's back transformed into his armor, minus the cape, and his boots extended up his calves to protect his legs. The young god felt the mist cover his face to disguise his features.

"Jim, Bucky is with you," Neo said.

The android nodded, "Yes, sir."

Neo used the power of the Death Ring to turn invisible. When he was done, Neo cast a point me spell using a conjured stick as his compass and flew off.

"Do you think he'll get mad if I finish this," the Merc with a Mouth asked as he held Neo's plate in one hand and a kebab in the other.

Jim couldn't have stopped himself from rolling his eyes if he had wanted to. "Come on, Wilson" he ordered before turning to the brunette, "It's a pleasure working with you again, Sergeant Barnes," then he left with the mouthy S.E.R.F. operative and soldier.

Fury ordered Clint and Phil to stay but he left. Elric had a driver take the director back to SHIELD as he left with the Eternal Guard.

When he was back at SHIELD, Fury ordered his agents to look into the recent large-scale destruction of university property. When he got the report of Culver, SHIELD was put on alert. He would have assigned a man to look into the other guests that had been invited to the "party", but every time he tried to give the order his tongue would go numb and he couldn't talk; Fury just knew that whatever was causing his sudden linguistic challenge was Thorson's fault, he just knew it.

 ***Break***

Even invisible, Argyros was still able to know where Neo was going, and the young god followed the spell until it led him to Harlem. He was sure that he had found the right place when he saw the soldiers moving into a building.

A few minutes later, the teen got close enough to observe what was happening; it appeared that a General named Ross, had just captured Bruce Banner, who had been found with a woman named Betty—the general's daughter.

Neo frowned, 'This is too easy,' he told himself, 'Death wouldn't have wanted me to come without a reason; why was Jim worried about a possible situation?'

Neo hated being right; he had followed the helicopter into the air hoping to act when it landed again, but his hearing picked-up a commotion coming from below. There were fires, explosions and screams. The wind roared and hurled him toward the ground in the direction of the noise; he didn't know what was going on but he was going to find out.

"What…" the word was a whisper as it slipped from his parted lips, Neo's jaw had gone slack in his shock as he watched a monster on a rampage. A car went flying through the air in the direction of the fleeing mortals and he reacted just in time; with a wave of his hand he banished the car away from a man that had been frozen on the street. The chaos continued around him as he used his magic and control of the wind to keep debris from crushing the terrified citizens as they ran. Neo was still in the air behind the monster and would have gone after it, but he was focused on saving as many people as he could.

Finally he saw Elric and the Eternal Guard as they swooped in to take everyone to safety. He could even see the S.E.R.F. teams as they formed a barrier between the monster and the civilians. The view from the sky also allowed him to see the monster take off after a military truck that had just fired a rocket. The police officer driving the vehicle shifted into reverse but the damaged axel didn't let them get far. Neo had pursued the beast and when it picked up a cab to crush the men in the truck, the young god—still invisible but not intangible—gripped the car with his own hands and was able to wrench it away.

Neo set the cab down and when he tore the door open the cabby quickly unbuckled and ran for his life. A swarm of shadows that Neo could tell were spirits pulled the men from the truck and away from the monster.

Not being able to see who was interfering caused the abomination to become even angrier and he continued his berserker charge through the streets. It took every bit of concentration for Neo and the other rescuers to keep the people safe, as the creature aimed directly at the humans, flinging them and trying to crush them with its hands and feet. Argyros was able to distract the monster by diving at it while staying out of reach.

A loud roar rang through the air and caught the monsters attention; Neo heard it say 'hulk' as it turned away. Further down the street the god's eyes saw a large figure and the two started running toward each other. Everyone on the ground prepared for the carnage that the two would inevitably cause.

The clashing titans met and the rampaging monster sent the other figure flying. The smoke from the burning vehicles was clogging the air but Neo was able to see as the green giant used a police cruiser like boxing gloves and tried to pulverize the abomination.

Neo followed the fight to the rooftops. He saw the monster launch itself at the helicopter that was firing at it, and the green giant tried to intercept. It was going down and thinking quickly Neo tried to cushion the fall with an arresto momentum charm and it helped, sort of; the helicopter was still spinning out of control as it fell faster than it should have, thanks to the added weight of the two hanging from the landing skid. Quickly figuring out another way to help, the young god remembered a prank he had played once; Neo raised a hand and conjured up enough giant marshmallows to fill the inside of the helicopter just before it crashed. The springy confection absorbed most of the impact before it morphed into gooey marshmallow crème. When the chopper was finally still he sent out a pulse of magic, Neo was relieved to find everyone had survived even if they were a little shaken.

The general and his daughter appeared at the door of the downed aircraft along with several other soldiers; Neo couldn't help it, he really couldn't, the thought just popped into his head as he saw the men covered in white crème, "Hm, an orgy joke would be really bad right now."

He realized that he must have said that out loud as everyone turned in his direction. When they looked past him, Neo remembered he was still invisible.

He turned mostly visible (mist still acting as a mask), "Sorry that was totally inappropriate…" the apology was cut short when the monster jumped onto the helicopter and glared viciously at the green giant that had just gotten up. The fight was on again as the monster pinned the green man to the wall. The dripping noise drew Betty's attention and soon the others. The people inside tried to get out of the helicopter but it was made difficult with the sticky crème.

Godly hearing picked up what the monster said before it stabbed its boney elbow into its opponent. A banishing spell cleared away the white goo, and the fuel that had spilt on the ground, but more spilled out and ignited. In a fraction of a second, a concussive blast of air barreled into the helicopter and the fire was smothered. Neo was focused on dousing the rest of the flames with a jet of water, so he was caught by surprise when Betty screamed and then he felt something heavy bowl into him knocking him to the ground and landing on top of him.

Hulk realized he had landed on someone as he was getting up; his eyes widened when the person moved since Hulk knew that his weight would have crushed a normal person, but he was relieved that he hadn't. The green-eyes that looked back at his were strange, not angry or afraid, so Hulk didn't know how to react when he heard the person speak.

"It's alright, mate, just kick his arse for me and we'll be square," the young god wheezed as they both got to their feet. The green man said nothing as he turned back toward the chopper, and Neo took a minute to regain his breath as he rubbed at his sore chest that had taken the force of the giant landing on him.

Neo had front row seats to the events that happened next; and it all ended with the green "Hulk" standing over his opponent while letting out a victorious roar. The spotlight interrupted the green man and the woman, but the young god wasn't sure what would have happened; though he had figured out that the Hulk was Bruce Banner. The man had been on the helicopter, then he wasn't and the green giant showed up, after that the green man fought to save Betty.

Neo used the momentary distraction to change his armor back and felt the mist dissipate. Something moved out of the corner of his eye and Neo looked to see Elric. "Elric, can you send someone to keep an eye on him…just to observe and make sure he's alright."

"Yes, Sir," the spirit said before he was gone again.

General Ross and Betty had heard Neo talking, and both turned to stare at the "new" comer.

"What do you want with, Bruce," Betty demanded.

He gave her a puzzled look, "Nothing, I was only thinking that he would need someone to look at that cut."

Jim came through the crowd toward Neo with Wade and Bucky behind him, "Sir, my teams are already working, so far there are no causalities but we do have a number of injured and that includes some of our operatives. Once the perimeter was secure our medics moved in, and they have started treating the injured. We did meet some resistance from the local authorities and soldiers, at first, but everything is on schedule and will be taken care of quickly."

"Good, then you should be able to clear the area for the construction teams, correct?" Neo asked with a raised eyebrow.

The android paused for a moment and looked confused, "Already, Sir?"

"Yes, as quickly as possible…the sooner construction starts the sooner we can get these people back into their homes. Until then Eternia Corp. will be providing disaster relief for those that will be displaced. Temporary housing, food, water and other necessities," the god answered as if he was completely unaffected by the cost of doing such a thing, "Oh, and Eternia Corp. will also make sure that any stores damaged will be repaired, but in the meantime those that can will be able to operate their businesses from one of the company warehouses.

"Did you get all of that, Elric?" Neo asked his guardian that had just reappeared.

"Yes, Sir, I thought you might have that idea, so I have already made the necessary arrangements. I also found a partially destroyed laboratory at the start of the monster's rampage, everything will be documented before it is packed-up and sent to our research facility."

Argyros finally appeared as he lighted on Neo's shoulder, " _I was watching with a careful eye, when I saw my maker fly by. He and his brother are preparing a special cage for the monster._ "

"Excellent! Everything appears to be in order, which means that Bucky and I will be leaving now. Bring the car around, Elric," the young god turned his head to the father and daughter, "General Ross, Ms. Ross, if you two will follow me? There is a matter I need to discuss with the both of you."

"I don't know who you think you are," the man began, "but you don't have the right to order _me_ around."

Neo's attitude changed instantly-he was standing at his full height and there was a distinctly displeased look on his face, "You will find that I do, General—in fact, right now I have the authority to lock you and your daughter in a tiny cell and through away the key without ever telling you why—but I'm feeling overly charitable tonight so I am giving you the option to discuss this like an adult. However, I know how much you soldier types like doing things the hard way and I am willing to oblige…" the god let his words hang in the air as he stared down the old soldier.

Betty must have sensed the magnitude of the situation, because she stepped forward and addressed the tall raven-haired teen, "Is something wrong?"

"That's a good question," Neo said his eyes looking passed them to the crowd still gathered, "but the answer is not suited for present company. This is a very serious matter."

The stretch hummer pulled up, parting the crowed and Elric held the door open for his master. Neo gestured to the vehicle, "After you Ms. Ross." Betty didn't hesitate, but she did move slowly, as she made her way to the Hummer and got inside.

The general grudgingly followed after his willful daughter and refused to say anything the whole ride, which as usual seemed to take less time than it was supposed to. Elric lead the group of four inside to the sunroom where they drew the attention of the room's occupants.

Everyone was still in the room; minus Fury, Hermes, and Hephaestus; but they had moved back to the sitting area and pool table, while one of the servants sat and played the piano. Argyros had flown off before Neo got into the car, and the falcon was now perched on the back of one of the couches behind Tony. Neo could tell that the bird was having fun, as he watched Argyros lean over Tony's shoulder making the billionaire lean away, then the falcon would inch closer along the back of the couch and the genius would lean even more until he was almost lying on the couch in Peppers lap.

The doors to the sunroom had been closed off and the lights turned on, since the sun had set while Neo was gone. The table had been cleared of food but a few bottles of wine and beer sat chilling in ice buckets. Bucky made his way over to the couch where he flung himself down with a sigh.

"Please get a butterbeer for me, Elric, and everything you can find on General Ross," the young god whispered as he made his way to the table. "Ms. Ross can I get you something to drink," Neo asked as he walked over to the table. He was purposefully ignoring the general at the moment, the disregard for his presence would have Ross joining in soon, which was a move he had learned while dealing with another general.

Of course Tony unknowingly ruined Neo's plan by speaking to the old soldier, "General Ross, I didn't know you would be crashing the party or I would have hid the liquor."

"I don't have time for you Stark," Ross said as he glared at Neo's back while the god handed Betty a glass of water, "Apparently there is another pretentious moneybags that thinks he can get anything he wants, including the valuable time of a U.S. General."

Neo rolled his eyes causing Betty to smile and Neo grinned back. The teen nodded to an empty seat on a couch, "Why don't you take a seat, Ms. Ross? Is it alright if I call you Betty?"

She accepted the seat, "Yes, but I didn't catch your name."

"Neo Thorson," he held out his hand and received a firm handshake from the woman.

The teen reached his right hand inside his jacket and made it appear that he pulled a small jar from his pocket, but he summoned it from the potions kit inside his locket. Neo glanced at her bruised cheek, "Here let me see that." The god's fingertips brushed gently across the mottled skin and Betty gave a small flinch. Neo smiled apologetically and dabbed a finger into the balm to gently spread the mixture over the abrasion; then he pocketed the jar.

Whatever Neo had applied to her face was warm and the throbbing pain in Betty's cheek slowly faded. She was surprised when the redhead she had noticed earlier looked at her in wonder.

"Did I just see what I think I saw?" Pepper asked aloud.

"That stuff must be really handy," Clint added.

Victor had gotten used to Neo's magical concoctions during the war and their pungent aroma, so he only mustered a shrug as he said, "Eh, my wounds heal faster without some smelly salve."

Neo turned to the mutant with a glint in his eye, "Maybe we should test that?"

Victor leaned back slightly in fear, because he knew that Neo would and could follow through with his veiled threat just to prove a point; trying to cover his wariness the feral mutant grinned as he replied, "No thanks, _Boss_."

"Sir," Elric's voice came from behind Neo, as the spirit approached with a silver platter carrying a single beverage and a file in his hand.

Neo rolled his eyes and accepted the drink, casually using the Death Ring to pop the top off before taking a large gulp. The concoction hit his stomach and instantly relieved the tension that had built up in his shoulders without Neo realizing. The files were placed in his hand a second later and he quickly scanned them while finishing his drink. When the young god was done with both he handed the empty bottle to Elric; then with a roll of his shoulders and a swivel of his head, Neo pinned the General with a look. His accent seemed to thicken, "You've been meddling in things that ought not to be meddled in, _General_."

The general was not amused that the _child_ standing in front of him had the gall to speak to him like that.

"I will speak to you however I want," Neo said as he subtly used legillimancy and smirked when the older man became wary, "Since it is purely due to my generosity that you are not behind bars."

"What?" Pepper asked surprised. Her eyes flickered between the two new comers and she noticed that Betty was just as curious about what the teen meant.

Neo approached the conversation casually as the address the brunette woman, "Betty, did you know that your government had no authority to conduct experiments based on the Super Soldier Program?" At the woman's puzzled expression he continued, "I will take that as a "no" and to also mean that you had no idea all of the research pertaining to the Program was handed over to the S.E.R.F. when the project was scrapped during World War Two.

"Because of your experiments, the United States can be held in violation of the contract between the United Nations and S.E.R.F.," Neo turned his gaze to the older Ross, "which, _General Ross,_ is viewed as a direct act against the S.E.R.F., and since S.E.R.F. operatives were involved in your monsters rampage it is also a declaration of War. It is not totally FUBAR, but you will be lucky if you're still a sergeant by the time this blows over."

"What is the S.E.R.F.?" Pepper asked, she liked to think that she was a knowledgeable woman, and you had to be to keep up with Tony Stark as an assistant, but she had never heard of the S.E.R.F.

"It stands for Special Emergency Response Force, the S.E.R.F. or "Serf" if you prefer, is a secret organization that was founded slightly before World War Two. During the War, the S.E.R.F. was granted power to act as a self-governing entity that worked with the Allied Forces to combat threats like the Nazis on a global scale. Being granted authority to operate within all of the areas held by the Allied Forces, and a few others since the War, the S.E.R.F. is the farthest reaching clandestine organization to date."

"You're wrong," Ross stated imperiously, "The S.E.R.F. is a myth. Still, the idea of it is a closely guarded secret that no one talks about, since the thought of any one organization having that much power would cause a panic if people found out. Which begs the question, how did you find out about it?"

The black-haired teen shrugged, "I recently inherited ownership and responsibility of a secret organization that was founded not long before World War Two."

There was a pregnant pause as Neo's words slowly sank in and then there was a sudden uproar, as everyone seemed to have their own question or statement to voice. The only ones who weren't talking were the former soldiers that had worked for or with the S.E.R.F. during Neo's trip into the past. Even Sirius and Remus were battling to be heard over the rest as they questioned Neo's statement. It was starting to give Neo a headache when something made the room go quiet, even the piano stopped; the lights had suddenly gone out.

"Tony?" Pepper questioned from the darkness.

"I didn't do it," the genius replied.

"Elric, please illuminate the situation," the young god told his guardian spirit.

Suddenly the lights came back on and everyone blinked their eyes for a few seconds before focusing on the rest of the room. Elric stood next to the wall as he lowered his hand from the panel that had the switches for the lights in the room.

"Excuse me," the spirit voiced politely, "but you were causing quite the commotion and while your disbelief is understandable, my master is speaking the truth. The S.E.R.F. exists, and Mr. Thorson is responsible as the head of the S.E.R.F. counsel and Director of Operations."

Clint whistled quietly before he spoke, "Fury's not going to be happy that he missed this little revelation."

"Maaaybe," Neo drew out with a mischievous smirk, "but he'll never know. What is said in this room stays in this room—that is how the Citadel and all of Eternia works—this is my sanctuary nothing comes in or out without my say so, that includes secrets."

"I think I've had enough of this. Betty we're leaving," the general said while turning to the door.

"I'm not finished speaking, General," Neo said, but he didn't make a move to stop the older man.

Ross was more than fed up with the punk kid that had dragged him all the way there and threatened him and his daughter. The general turned around and took two steps to reach Neo and grabbed the god by his collar.

As soon as his hand clenched the soft fabric of the teen's shirt, Ross saw a flash out of the corner of his eye. The white haired butler stood next to the soldier with a gleaming dagger at the man's throat. The old soldier sneered into the spirit's face and would have said something, but whatever it was went unsaid as the general registered something wrong, he _couldn't_ talk because he _couldn't breathe_.

Ross finally felt a pressure on his chest, and with his eyebrows knit together in confusion the man looked down. Wrapped around Ross' chest was a giant scaled tail, and then he heard Betty scream.

The sunroom seemed to have expanded, because as big as it was before it should not have fit the World Serpent or Fenrisúlfr.

Staring at the large teeth of both beings, the general finally realized that what he thought was ringing in his ears was the deep growling and hissing that vibrated the air in the entire room.

Jormungandr had secured his tail around the mortals chest not squeezing but his grip was firm enough that the man could not fill his lungs for a second breath; the god was SO tempted to tighten just that little bit and crush the human in his coils, because no one touched his family.

Fenrir wanted to use the old man as a chew toy but he didn't want to hurt his brother, so he would settle for biting the idiots head off if he didn't let Neo go, right now.

The three weren't the only ones in the room that had reacted; Wolverine had unsheathed his claws and his amber eyes promised pain; Victor and Bucky were on their feet; the metal in the room was hovering in the air and pointed at Ross; and Remus and Sirius had their wands ready.

It actually made Neo smile to see everyone acting so protective. The lightning that was ever-present, just under Neo's skin, surged forward at his will and a small bolt ran up the general's arm.

Ross let out a silent scream, and released the teen. When he let go, Jormungandr reluctantly slackened his grip allowing the soldier to draw much needed air into his burning lungs. The others backed off as well.

Neo continued the previous conversation, as if his family hadn't almost killed the man, "You should know that _all_ your actions regarding the Super Soldier experiments are being reported to the U.S. and U.N. as we speak. Since you have been informed of your misdeeds, the calls you will be receiving soon should not come as a surprise. I will make sure that your daughter is not among those facing punishment, as it is obvious she had no knowledge of her crimes." Neo directed his attention to the mentioned daughter, "Still, your involvement cannot be completely overlooked, and for that I am sorry, Betty."

The youngest god paused as his cellphone beeped and he pulled it out to check the message, "The abomination that just tore apart part of Harlem has been detained, and there are already talks of returning him to a man."

"That might prove difficult," Elric said, "The team that gathered the research from the lab has determined that, based on the elements involved in the experiment, only two people might know how to reverse the process, Bruce Banner and Samuel Sterns. Mr. Sterns was taken into custody shortly after the fight but he is currently indisposed, and Doctor Banner is still out on his run.

"However, I have recently discovered that the man, Emil Blonsky, had been injected with a variation of the super soldier-serum by the Army before taking Sterns' serum. His change is noticeably different form Doctor Banner's transformations into the Hulk, and Blonsky's rampage shows a serious deterioration in his mental health. It has been sometime and he still has not changed back, the transformation is slowly putting stress on his body, so there is also worry over his health if he does not change back soon. At this point it is unknown if he will even survive the change long enough to cure him."

"And how the hell do you know all of that!" Ross demanded. His face was still red but no one was sure if it was due to his lack of breathing earlier or his current anger.

In his head Elric was bristling at the idea that he should not know everything about his master and anyone that he comes in contact with; externally the spirit was stone-faced, "I know everything regarding Mr. Thorson and everything that concerns him."

With a minor flex of his tail the serpent god sent Ross careening toward the door, and the man was lucky to keep his feet under him. " _I grow tired of you and your insolence, mortal_ ," Jormungandr said, his voice rumbling in the minds of everyone present, " _Leave now while you still draw breath_ …" The ice-blue eyes of the god sent a chill down Ross' spine and he wasn't able to hide it.

The mountainous wolf snapped at the general, eyes glowing like fire, and a second voice was heard in the group's minds, "… _or I'll chew you to shreds and laugh while you drag your pieces through the flames of Helheim._ "

Neo sighed, it wasn't exactly how he had planned the evening to go but what was done, was done, so he helped Betty out of her seat and walked her over to her father, "Elric will show you to the door and a driver will take you wherever you need to go. Bruce is a resourceful man so you shouldn't worry, but for his safety I won't contact you when I find him. Though, I promise to keep an eye on him."

The brunette smiled sadly, "Thank you."

When the father and daughter were gone Neo walked over to Tony and flung his arms around the billionaire with a loud dramatic sigh, "I hate acting so proper, it's boring. Next time I have to deal with Politicians or Military Brass, you get to do the talking."

"I don't like it any more than you do and Ross isn't exactly a fan," Tony commented as his hands found their way to Neo's hips.

"Yes, but you've had more experience. How about this? When I sic you on someone, you can take James along. You two will be an epic tag-team."

Tony gave the younger man a sly grin, "Sounds like a plan, but I think the three of us should practice our technique, later."

"Tony," Pepper warned.

"Well, practice _does_ make perfect," Neo said as he winked at the genius.

"You shouldn't encourage him," the red-head warned.

"Huh, I doubt it will be a problem," Jormungandr commented. He was back in his human-like form and Fenrir was standing next to him, looking like a fifteen year-old kid. "He is his father's son."

Neo eased away from Tony to face Jormungandr, "Speaking of my father, did he say anything before he left?"

"Just that he won't be back tonight, and that he'll call later," Fenrir added.

Remus gave the teen god a sad smile before he spoke, "That reminds me, Sirius and I should be getting back."

Sirius gave Neo a silly grin, "You should head back soon, too. Chiron is chomping at the bit. The Old Nag keeps asking when you're coming back."

Remus shook his head and sighed, "You've been saving those up, haven't you?"

"…and I have plenty more," Sirius answered with a grin.

"We used to call him a Mother Mare," Clint said, causing everyone to look at him. Phil gave him a calculating look, no doubt piecing together the other information that had slipped about the archers past.

"More like a Nightmare," Sirius joked.

"Alright, alright, you've had your fun," the other wizard chastised. Then Remus gave Neo a hug, "we'll see you soon," he said before grabbing Sirius and pulling him from the room.

"It has certainly been an interesting evening, but Erik and I should be getting back to the school," Charles said, "Will everyone be joining us, again?"

"Jimmy and I have classes to teach tomorrow," Victor added.

"The school is fun," Fenrir piped in, "and I promised to play basketball tomorrow."

Jormungandr just nodded when Neo gave him a questioning look.

Bucky looked pensive, "I'm still getting used to things, and the school is a familiar place," he said.

"Sounds like a sleep over," Tony commented.

"No, Tony. You have meetings with the heads of each department tomorrow, for evaluations and performance reviews.

"That's right!" the genius exclaimed and turned to Neo with a proud smile, "I've decided to work on clean energy now. I talked about it with Obi, before…" Tony trailed off before he seemed to shake himself, "I think I can pull out some of my old designs and come up with something better. I've got a few ideas for the arc reactor somewhere in storage and I've already got a working prototype." Tony tapped the middle of his chest for emphasis.

Neo smiled back, Tony's enthusiasm was infectious and the way Tony's face lit-up made the young gods heart skip a beat, as cliché as it was. "That sounds great."

"The meetings start at eight tomorrow," Pepper continued in her business tone, "then we have to talk to some possible investors. It's going to take a lot of time and money…"

"Awe, come on, Pep…" Tony practically whined as he drew his assistant to the side.

"I think I would like to go with you Charles, if you don't mind?" Neo commented bringing the conversation back to the previous topic.

"No thanks, I've already stayed too long. It's supposed to be my day off," Clint informed the group.

"I should be going too," Phil said, and both agents made their way to the door.

The young god watched sadly as the older agent left. In his head, Neo was telling himself that Phil wasn't leaving him; the man just had his own life and his own things to do. But there was a part of him that was angry too, Phil hadn't said goodbye and he never once looked back. Neo was disappointed, as he watched Phil's figure disappear from sight, 'He just needs time.'

James smelled the sadness coming off of his mate and the cause was obvious as he watched Neo, watching the agents leave. He suddenly remembered that Neo was still a teenager; even if his mate had fought in a War and was a god, Neo was just starting to find out what love is and having one of his mates acting so stand-offish was not easy for the raven-haired god.

In the end everyone who was left, except Tony, Pepper and Happy, chose to go back to the institute.

That night in James' room; Argyros rested on the windowsill, while Zoul and Magnum slept in the floor at the foot of the bed. The bed had been expanded to fit James, Victor, Bucky, Neo, Jormungandr and Fenrir (the fiendish cuddle-bug, who had latched onto his brother in the middle of the night like an octopus).

"Time is complicated," Neo whispered into James ear as he drifted off to sleep, "Why do I feel so anxious when I think about Phil needing time?"

James pressed a kiss to soft raven locks, "…because, Darlin'," he said, "Good or bad, things change with time."

 ***Break***

Breakfast was the usual, Elric fended off complaints for using the good china and silverware and the food was delicious. James and Victor had Danger room exercises right after breakfast with the older students. Magnum took Jormungandr, Fenrir, Neo and Bucky into the wooded area around the mansion for training. Bucky may have taken the super soldier serum but he wasn't as fast as Fenrir or as strong as Jormungandr, still he could keep up with Neo and they were good training partners.

Tony called during training so he could pretend like he was busy taking a call, when he should have been in a meeting. There were a few jokes from the billionaire when Neo answered the phone sounding out of breath, but then Pepper found Tony and dragged him back to the meeting while apologizing to Neo.

It was after lunch that Neo found Bucky taking a walk outside. The young god called out as he approached the quiet soldier, "Hey, Bucky, you look like you've got something on your mind."

The brunette gave a small smile, "I'm just a little overwhelmed, I guess. Suddenly being in the future is strange. The clothes, the nifty-gadgets, even the people are different."

"It might seem that way right now but trust me, Bucky; the more things change the more they stay the same. Just don't start moping when you figure that out and the future doesn't seem so shiny anymore," Neo joked while giving the other man a small nudge with his shoulder.

Bucky chuckled, "Don't worry that won't happen anytime soon."

"Besides, there are some familiar faces around here." At those words Bucky seemed a little more melancholy, and Neo winced when he realized who Bucky must be thinking about. "You'll see him again Bucky. Life said that Steve is still alive. We'll find him."

"I know," the sergeant agreed, "I just hope Steve is alright when we do."

They eventually joined the others in the Rec room where they sat and talked before dinner. That night Victor had avoided being dragged into his brother's room, and that left Bucky squeezed between the two Asgardian brothers.

With the weekend came Tony, who arrived during breakfast with a grin on his face and Happy behind him. The genius got many looks from the teachers and students but ignored them in favor of making his usual greetings, which included flirting with the female teachers and Neo before dubbing Scott, Specks. Neo let the overenthusiastic genius brag about the new designs for repurposing his old weapons factories. Then Happy explained that Tony was ditching a meeting and avoiding calls from Pepper.

Finally the younger, and some older, kids couldn't hold back and they were instantly crowded around the billionaire asking for an autograph or something else. Tony only indulged them after seeing Neo's smile at the kids clamoring for Tony's attention; the billionaire usually enjoyed being surrounded by his fans, but today he just wanted to relax with the man that Pepper had officially dubbed "Tony's boyfriend".

Tony stayed all day, talking with adults and star struck youths alike. After dinner most of the children and teachers were gathered in the Rec room watching a movie, and Neo was curled up between Tony and James.

Neo woke up later to Tony leaving and followed the older man outside to his car.

"I'm not going to be mad Tony," Neo said out of the blue.

The genius raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"I understand that you have a lot of work to do now that your company is changing, so I won't be made if we can't spend a lot of time together." Neo draped his arms around Tony's shoulders, "It just means that I'm going to be calling you a lot more, and popping in unexpectedly to drag you out of meetings. But, you're going to have all of the fun, getting to design and work on new projects and you won't need me for an assistant."

"But, you're my favorite assistant," Tony whispered as he cupped Neo's cheek and pulled the god in for a deep kiss.

Neo gave Tony credit where it was due, the genius sure knew how to kiss. Tony's other hand found its way to the small of Neo's back and he held the raven-haired man close. Both men silently wished that time would standstill, but then Tony's phone rang.

Reluctantly pulling away, the genius checked his phone and winced. A picture of his assistant was on the screen.

"I would answer that, if I were you, Tony. You've managed to avoid here all day, and she's probably worried," the comment came out as more of a warning.

"Yeah, and it's only going to get worse if I don't answer," Tony replied, "Then again, if I don't answer she can't yell at me."

The god smirked, "If you wait, she's going to have time to think, and you know it's dangerous when a woman like Pepper has time to plan her retaliation. She might make you do paper work."

Tony paled and quickly answered the phone while Neo chuckled in the background. Tony left quickly after that.

Neo stood outside enjoying the cool night air for a minute, when he suddenly felt a familiar presence, "Hello, Death."

"Hello, little master," the entity said stepping into his view. Death wasn't wearing the usual guise but it was familiar, Neo recognized the male face that he had seen in the past when Death told him about the S.E.R.F. before sending him into a War.

"I see you have your business face on," he quipped.

The chuckle he got in response was pleasant and calm. "Is this better?" Death asked before there was a change and Neo was looking at himself, a white-haired version of himself.

"Tony might have a heart attack if he sees two of me."

"Or a picture to fuel his greatest fantasies," Death said with Neo's voice.

"Knowing Tony…" the younger said and trailed off into a laugh.

Death nodded and let the conversation lapse into silence. The entity seemed to remember that there was a reason to be there, "Something needs to be done, Blonsky's condition is getting worse."

"Is he dying?"

"Inevitably," the answer sounded final, but there was something in Death's tone that made the young god curious.

Neo frowned, "So, did you came here to ask permission, or to give me another option?"

"There is always another option. I just need you to make a decision."

"What decision? Stop beating around the bush, and tell me what you want, Death."

"Honestly? I want you to claim a soul," Death took in the disbelieving look on Neo's face and gave a mirthless laugh, "It gets better. Fate has already decided. For a reason even I cannot explain, Emil Blonsky's time was up the moment he became a monster. He is already dead, both as a man and as a soul. However, it seems that the serum is keeping the body alive and therefore the soul is not vacating the host. In layman's terms, I want you to kill him."


	11. Chapter 10

The Law of Three

Chapter 10

Distracted by his thoughts which were now going over the conversation he had just had with Death and the decision he had made, Neo didn't realize he had made it to James' room.

Tony and Neo were outside while the adults sent the kids to bed and cleaned up the Rec room. After his meeting with Death the teen came back inside, while James was putting up the extra chairs and moving the couches back into place; when the feral mutant was done he had followed his nose and found the young god sitting in the dark staring blankly at the floor.

"Neo?" James called from the doorway.

The teen seemed to rouse from his stupor and green-eyes found the steely-blue of the older man. Neo gave a waning smile, "Hey…"

James was immediately concerned; he may not have known Neo for very long before the younger man disappeared, but he knew a fake smile when he saw one, and when it came to his mate that smile usually meant something was wrong. The first time James had met the young god was during a war, and even then Neo had always seemed so bright, like a beacon in the middle of a storm. From the day he met his mate, James knew that Neo was something special with the way the teen usually had a smile, as if he refused to let the War dampen his mood. So, he was understandably worried, since the only time Neo was ever melancholy seemed to be right after a tragedy.

The man moved from the doorway and to the bed, where he stopped to run his fingers through Neo's hair. The younger man leaned into the touch, hoping that the comforting gesture would push away his heavy thoughts, and for a tiny moment it worked. A world-weary sigh pushed past Neo's lips as his head fell forward to rest against James' stomach. Strong hands cradled the god's skull while maneuvering his head into a position where he was looking up into James' face.

"Talk to me, darlin'," the mutant said, his steel-blue eyes focused on emerald green.

Neo had to swallow the lump in his throat before he could talk. "I…Death came and asked me to claim a soul."

"Why?"

The younger man gave sardonic grin, "You know, I asked the same question."

*Flashback*

" _Why?" Neo demanded._

 _Death's face—or Neo's, since Death still looked like the god—fell and the entities eyes were full of sympathy for the god, "It is your duty as the Master of Death. You must do the things that I cannot. Would you put this burden on someone else's shoulders?"_

 _Neo hesitated, and sensing this, Death continued until the young god agreed to see things for himself. The next second, Neo was standing in front of a giant cage positioned in the middle of the room and inside was the monster that had torn apart Harlem._

 _Neo didn't have long before Death was telling him to activate his Soul Gaze, and he instantly saw something strange; so far, Neo has discovered that his powers allow him to see the souls of the dead and hear the cries of souls, but he had never seen anything like this; a transparent image of who Neo instinctively knew was Emil Blonsky hovered inside the chest of the monster before him. Ignoring the fact that he was somehow able to see inside the creature, Neo focused on the fact that this had never happened before._

 _When Neo shot a questioning glance to his companion, Death explained that Emil Blonsky's soul had possessed the reanimated mutated corpse of his previous body. Of course, the god had been stunned and Death waited for him to take it all in._

*End Flashback*

"I've killed people before, bad people, who were nothing more than monsters. I was ready to kill that monster when it was rampaging through the middle of Harlem, and I would have if Banner hadn't shown up. But Death wasn't just asking me to kill a _monster_. We're talking about a man's _soul_. It was…" Neo hesitated, "It wasn't what I thought would happen.

"…But Death doesn't just ask me to kill someone lightly, so I did it. I thrust my sword right through his brain. When his body was dead Blonsky's soul was free. He came closer with a look of madness in his eyes and attacked. All I did was raise my hands to stop him-all I did was touch him-then there was a bright flash of light and this ball of…," he gave an uncertain shake of his head, "…energy was hovering in my palm. It was warm, and soft, and so beautiful. I was holding a soul in my bare hands," he was choking on his emotions and the god had to clear his throat a few times before continuing, "…it was the most amazing and nightmare inducing thing I have ever done. It was like holding a newborn, as precious as it was fragile, and I had it cradled in my fingers. From the instant I touched it I _knew_ that it was more than precious, so much potential in one tiny thing. In that moment, I felt like I knew everything about that one soul, and Emil Blonsky was a small representation of that souls importance in the cycle of Life and Death. I've never done anything like that, and as amazing as it was…I don't want to do it again anytime soon."

James frowned, "That doesn't make sense, you told me about the ghosts and spirits you've seen before, and most of them don't look like balls of light."

"No," the god agreed in a whisper, "that's the kicker. Once someone dies and is truly claimed by Death they are gone and cannot come back, because that person and everything that made them who they were is gone. Every memory, every dream, all the regrets and pain, are washed away. When Death claims a soul they lose their form and turn into pure essence to be reborn later as someone completely different," the young god hesitated, "So, when I touched Emil's soul it lost its form. Blonsky's gone but now there is the possibility of someone else in the next world. One day he may come back as a brilliant psychologist, or a ruthless hitman. No one knows, but that's the thing…there is a lot of potential and people chose their actions even when their future is dictated by Fate."

James brushed the tips of his fingers across Neo's cheeks before giving the young god a grin, "I think he was lucky, not everyone can say that their soul was reaped by a sexy god. Just don't go doing it all the time, Darlin', a man can get jealous."

With a scoff, Neo replied, "That sounded so corny."

"Don't be mean, the only thing corny around here is the pick-up lines teenagers come-up with," James winced at his own comment as he remembered some of those lines, but he was happy when his mate let out a small laugh and the shadows receded for Neo's gorgeous eyes.

"Oh gods, don't remind me. Did you hear the one John came up with at dinner?" They both chuckled and let the sound wash away the heavy atmosphere.

James leaned down and kissed the god's forehead, "I'm going to take a shower. I'll be back in a little while."

"I should probably take one too," Neo said as he rose from the bed and headed over to James closet, "Let me grab a change of clothes and I'll join you," he said, not thinking anything of his comment. Due to conditions during the War they had showered together a few times, and after bathing with Jormungandr Neo wasn't shy about taking showers with…anyone.

Outside the room, which a red-headed telepath and her white-haired companion happened to be passing by at that exact moment, Jean and Ororo overheard the end of Neo and James conversation. The telepath picked-up her pace as a blush darkened her cheeks leaving her friend to walk more sedately with a smirk curling her lips.

"Good for you, James," Ororo commented as she passed by the feral mutant in the hallway, "just don't forget that the legal age is _eighteen_ now."

"Not in Canada," he replied with a smirk.

She laughed but never looked back as she said, "We're not in Canada."

 ***Break***

 _(Dream)_

 _Neo sighed; the Sun was warm on his bare chest and shoulders, the sea breeze played through his long hair and the sand invaded the gaps between his toes as he sank them into the ground. He could feel the familiar weight of James' arms wrapped around his waist. Phillip was sitting to the left under the shade of a beach umbrella and lounging in a wooden chair as he sipped at his drink. The agent smiled serenely when he noticed the god was watching him. The swishing noise of sand moving drew his attention and Neo looked back out at the ocean, where Tony was coming toward them with one of his inventions over his shoulder. Dripping water and in a pair of swim trunks that Neo had only seen once, Tony looked amazing and the young god felt himself blush._

" _It's a really nice day," Tony commented._

 _Phil made a noise of agreement, "I could get used to coming here on my days off."_

 _There was an affirmative grunt from James that made the god smile. It was perfect, this one moment, but he had a niggling voice in the back of his mind telling him that he was dreaming._

 _Neo could still feel the weight of arms around him, even after James let go and started walking purposefully toward the genius with a grin on his face. "I think your little gizmo could use some more testing," the shorter man said before he lifted the billionaire over his shoulder and dragged him back into the water._

 _Tony protested for a minute before he kicked and accidently splashed James. There was suddenly a feral grin on the mutant's face and he let go of Tony who fell into the water and came out sputtering. Tony slapped the water and hit James in the face in retaliation and a water fight was started. Neo's heart swelled when he heard the carefree laughter from Tony and the rumbling chuckles from James._

' _Oh well, just because it's a dream doesn't mean I can't enjoy it,' he reminded himself._

 _The sounds of the ocean waves, sea birds and laughter lulled Neo into a content state as he watched his mates enjoying themselves._

 _His peace was interrupted when he felt something hit his leg, but he ignored it, until it happened again._

 _(End Dream)_

Neo woke up and the first thing he saw was Bucky's face. The god remembered everyone going to sleep, but that was only a few minutes ago if Neo's internal clock was right. So what…?

Neo pouted at the brunette when the man kicked him. "What in Merlin's name was that for?" Neo hissed.

Bucky struggled and kicked the god, again; that was when Neo finally noticed that the soldier had somehow wound up in Jormungandr's grip and the slumbering snake god was slowly squeezing the mortal to death.

"Oh, Morgana's short curls," he groaned as he unwrapped the coiled arms from the mortal. Luckily Jormungandr was asleep because Neo knew from experience that it would have been almost impossible to get the snake god to let go if he was conscious. Bucky was finally able to wriggle out of the immortals grip, only for Neo to grab him and roll them both, affectively switching places with Bucky.

"Thanks," Bucky wheezed out as he caught his breath.

Neo grinned, "Think nothing of it, you're a friend, and I prefer my friends alive and...kicking," he said the last word as he rubbed his shin, "I'm funny that way, so it would be best if you try to stay out of life threatening situations. What would I have told Steven? 'Sorry, mate, your childhood friend and secret crush got cuddled to death by a giant snake, who just so happens to be my cousin Jormungandr, but here's a wolf cub to cuddle and is actually my other cousin Fenrir,' yeah that would fly like a rock."

"Yeah," the brunette agreed, "It sounds ridiculous when you say it out loud, but my life has definitely gotten more interesting since I met you."

"You're welcome."

The smug smile and words took Bucky by surprise, "What do you mean?"

"Well I have obviously saved you from a boring 'normal' life, but I can't take credit for everything, you know?"

"Oh, yeah? I'm pretty sure that you were the one that dragged me back with you to the future," Bucky countered.

"Yes, to save your life, but I'm not forcing you to stick around," it was quiet for a few seconds as Bucky thought about what the god said, "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that you decided to stay. I'm just saying that you could have marched off to find Steve already, or decided to figure out the twenty-first century on your own."

"I still have to get over the fact that I went from a World at War to now, and a part of me is still trying to figure out my next move, besides the nightmares don't help."

Neo heaved a sigh because he knew exactly how the brunette man felt, "Nightmares are the scars left behind in our minds that haven't healed yet, but I've got the number of a pretty good healer."

"I can handle a few bad dreams."

It was silent after that; the only noise was the sound of snoring around them. Bucky thought that Neo had gone back to sleep until the god spoke again and he sounded thoughtful, "It's not about the dreams, it's about the fear that you bottle up because fear can turn poisonous if you let it. Phobetor and his nightmares are almost a gift, while some nightmares punish the guilty conscience, others will help you face your fears and purge you of them…good night, Bucky." With those words Neo sent out a whisper of magic toward the man, and as Bucky gradually fell asleep the god said a prayer, 'May Hypnos welcome you into the realm of sleep and Morpheus guard your dreams tonight.'

Neo didn't go back to sleep and instead wondered downstairs to the entrance hall. Elric stepped out of door to the Rec room with a dusting cloth in his hand.

"Can I help you, Master?" the spirit's voice was respectful but it also held a hint of concern.

"I couldn't sleep. I keep thinking about things."

"Such as," the spirit urged with a raised brow.

Neo shrugged as he continued on his way to the kitchen, "Finding Steve, the War brewing between the Olympians, the troubles on Asgard, my friends in the past and present, and my mates, and the other billion things that I think about at any given time."

"Perhaps it would be wise to share your thoughts, you know that you need only give the order and I will do whatever you desire, my Lord."

The god turned to look into the golden eyes of his servant. Neo still wondered about Elric, like his attitude, how he knew and could do the things he did, but since their contract he never questioned the spirit's loyalty. "How is the rebuilding of Harlem coming along?"

"Done, we are only waiting an acceptable amount of time before allowing the citizens back into their homes, to throw off any suspicions that might arise from completing the work so quickly."

Neo wasn't surprised about that, after all the spirits and souls that had rebuilt Tony's facility had done it in less than a day. "…and Doctor Banner?"

Elric set a steaming cup of tea in front of the young god and gave a hint of a smile at the surprised look he received, "We sent a healer in when the Doctor calmed down and his health is as good as can be expected, given his circumstances. It seems the Hulk has an accelerated healing factor, but the Doctor is slightly underweight and in need of uninterrupted sleep. There are still eyes on Doctor Banner, but I can call them back if you wish."

"No," the teen said thoughtfully as he stared into his cup, "The Hulk is not the monster everyone believes him to be and he proved that, it is just taking longer for Banner to realize. When the doctor is ready I would like to help him…What about Tony's company?"

"It is surprisingly stable, and most of that is due to you and Ms. Potts. With Eternia Corps backing and Ms. Potts effective management, Stark Industries has already started repurposing factories and is already in the design stages on several clean energy projects. The evaluations have weeded out a number of corporate spies and slothful employees, along with a few greedy and corrupt managers. There has been a steady rise in productivity and efficiency, and oddly enough workplace moral. It would seem that some terminations were long overdue."

"Now I just have to figure out what to do about Phillip," Neo mumbled ruefully.

"Agent Coulson is still on leave until six o'clock Monday morning."

Blinking in surprise the young god asked, "How do you know that?"

"I managed to overhear a conversation that he had with Director Fury," Elric didn't lie, and Neo could tell, but the young god continued to stare at the spirit until he seemed to continue where he left off, "and it was confirmed by an S.E.R.F. agent inside SHIELD."

"Why do we have agents inside SHIELD?"

"The S.E.R.F. along with Howard Stark and Agent Carter helped build SHIELD, and point of fact SHIELD is a semi-independent branch of the S.E.R.F., Lady Death set up SHIELD as a front for the S.E.R.F. and while Director Fury runs the daily operations, he still answers to "The Council" which answers to Director Nightshade while she is the acting Director for you. Over the years the S.E.R.F. has carefully monitored SHIELD and its personnel, and successfully removed double agents working for other organizations. It seems that HYDRA has tried more than a few times to infiltrate SHIELD but the S.E.R.F. has thwarted all of their attempts. During World War Two the S.E.R.F. took out every HYDRA facility and most of their leaders, now HYDRA is simply a group of mercenaries and fanatics, but they are still a threat like any other group of terrorists."

Neo let a mischievous grin curl his lips, "So…I'm Fury's boss?"

Elric gave his master and amused look, "It is so nice to see that you have your priorities in order, Master."

"Oh, hush you," Neo chided half-heartedly as a smirk appeared on his face, "I feel like doing something fun, now."

"Fun?" the spirit asked, mostly out of habit because he already had an idea what the god was up to.

Neo doesn't answer and instead pulls out his phone and starts taping at the screen. It was quick enough that Elric was unable to look at the message before Neo stowed his phone in his pocket. The god had just raised his cup to his lips when his phone alerted him to a new text message and Neo's lips curled behind the rim of his cup.

Elric may have been a spirit but he still got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, because he knew that whatever his master had planned was only going to be fun for one of them. A part of him wanted to complain about having such a mischievous master, but he had stopped doing such things a long time ago.

Neo never made it back to bed but he didn't complain when Magnum found him before the sun rose and forced the young god to go on a training run. The raven-haired teen was using a conjured towel to wipe the sweat off his face as he walked back into the mansion. Unfortunately the towel stopped Neo from seeing the fireball coming at him. The towel burnt to ash in his hands, and he thanked his godly heritage that his skin only felt slightly warmer.

"Good thing gods are made of tough stuff, huh kid?" the ancient dog noticed as Neo blinked the ashes out of his eyes, "But it looks like you need more training."

"Do I still have eyebrows?" Neo asked in a slightly worried voice while he ran his hands over his face.

"Priorities, young Master," Elric said from the other end of the hall, the spirit's voice drew the god's attention to John and Bobby who seemed to be arguing, again.

Neo's eyes took on a sharp look as his brow crinkled; "You two," the suddenly irate god intoned as he pointed his finger at the two fighters and a silent freezing charm stopped the boys in their tracks. They were outside the dining room and Neo could see the faces of the other children through the open doors. With a heavy sigh the young god came closer.

"There is a fine line between love and hate," Neo started. He looked over the burnt and iced walls, and he repaired the damage with a half-wave as his eyes clouded over in memory, "and sometimes it is impossible to see it."

Neo unfroze the pair and John almost fell on his face. Stormy green eyes locked onto the red-head and blonde. "If you want to beat each other up, fine, I won't stop you, but I have a few rules," he raised a hand to count on his fingers, "One, no powers. Two; no biting scratching or pulling hair, save that for the bedroom. Three, no hitting below the belt because that kills the mood, and Four, no kicking. You can hit with either an open or closed hand and grappling is acceptable, but no chokeholds. The fight is over when your opponent is knocked out or successfully pinned. Any questions?"

"Wait…" Jean went to protest but Charles stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Perhaps, we should give this a chance."

Erik nodded, "Jean, Charles is right, you have tried your best but it hasn't worked. I think letting them solve this problem their own way might be the right solution."

The woman seemed to deflate and silently accepted her mentor's decision.

"No questions then," Neo said as he leaned against the wall and waved at the two teens, "Well get on with it."

"I don't want to fight," Bobby protested, "John's always the one causing problems."

"Well maybe I wouldn't cause problems if you weren't such a goody-two-shoes d*ck all the time."

Bobby gave the redhead an incredulous look, "I'm the d*ck? We fight because you're always acting like a jerk. What's your problem man, you always have a bone to pick, and I'm tired of trying to be nice to you when all I really want is to punch you in the face."

"Well here's your chance," John egged as he held his arms out to the sides, "I'm game if you want to start something, but let's both be honest, you can't fight and you're not going to do anything because you wouldn't want to ruin that "perfect boy" image you try to sell everyone."

"Really," the blonde asked right before he launched his fist at the redhead's face.

Bobby's hit landed, and John was quick to retaliate with a punch to the other teen's stomach, and a right to his cheek. After that it was all fists, groans, and thumping smacks of flesh against flesh. The last punch that John threw missed and he over balanced. Bobby took the opportunity and grabbed John's extended arm before throwing him face first to the ground where he pinned the redhead. Everything was brought to a sudden end and both teens were winded.

"Alright, now to get down to the real reason you two have been fighting," the god said with a placid smile as he turned to the blonde teen, "Bobby, do you honestly think anyone here is going to judge you for liking another bloke?"

An actual chill went down the blondes spin and his eyes widened. The world around them seemed to stop as everyone listened and waited for an answer. John wriggled out of his grasp but the other teen didn't go far and instead sat on the ground close by. It took a minute before Bobby spoke, "What are you talking about."

"There is nothing to be afraid of, if not your class mates then your teachers will understand. Charles and Erik are in a committed marriage. Raven has admitted to having relationships with men and women. I have three male soul mates, James is one of them, and I am _very_ happy. And you know Hercules, the god of Heroes? Yeah, he swings for both teams and I'm pretty sure anything else that catches his eye. Most of the other gods are the same way, and my Dad says that the only reason Artemis is so anti-male is because she's a lesbian, okay that last part might be exaggerated," Neo smirked before becoming more serious, "But honestly, why go to such lengths to deny your feelings that you hurt the person you care about? That just doesn't make sense, mate."

The hall was shrouded in silence again for what seemed like an hour before the blonde teen finally said something, "My family wouldn't understand. I haven't even admitted that I'm a mutant to them, how am I supposed to tell them that I'm gay too?" Bobby looks broken as he firmly keeps his gaze on the floor.

Neo let out a sigh, "No one else's opinion is worth denying your love, not even if the whole world was against it." Then the god turned to the redhead, "Isn't that right John? You were sick and tired of everyone shoving their opinions in your face and acting like they had the right to tell you how to live your life, so you lashed out and became a rebellious child that people wouldn't waste their time preaching to. If you acted like a waste of space, pretty soon they wouldn't expect so much from you. Unfortunately for you it worked so well that you became an outcast and were alienated from everyone around you. When you finally got tired of being the pariah you looked for a way out. You came here knowing that there were teens just like you and adults who wouldn't judge you, but you couldn't drop the mask. You had lived for so long fighting against what others expected that you kept hiding, even when you didn't have to. By the time you got here acting like a delinquent was your coping mechanism born of self-preservation. Now you just have to change that attitude and find the real you, it won't be easy, but you can do it." Neo clapped the redhead on the back as he passed by heading for the dining room.

"How did you know all that?" John's question made Neo pause but he didn't reply so the redhead asked again, "How did you know all of that about Bobby and me?"

Neo looked back into John's brown eyes, "I can relate. I almost let someone else's expectations destroy my life. It took me a long time before I finally told myself 'to hell with their opinions the only person living my life is me', and that was when I chose to become the person I wanted to be. Gun to my head or not, my decisions are my own even if they might be my last, because all actions have consequences and I choose to be the master of my own fate. So my advice to both of you is stop pushing people away, stop hiding, you might just be surprised at how things work out. I never really lived or loved until after I died…don't wait as long as I did."

With those last words everyone wondered back into the dining room. The rest of breakfast was quiet but there was also an air of contemplation from the students.

Classes at the mansion were Monday through Saturday with only two classes on Saturday and Sunday was a free day. So after breakfast the kids got ready for a trip into the city to go shopping and generally get out of the mansion, and the teachers would have to be chaperones for the younger kids. Bucky wanted to take it easy and catch up on events in the libraries history section, so he stayed behind with a few teachers who had gotten out of babysitting duty.

After breakfast, Neo mentioned going to see a friend and his cousins decided to tag along. That was how Fenrir, Jormungandr, Elric, Magnum, Zoul, Argyros and Neo all found themselves outside SHIELD's New York headquarters under a mild disillusionment charm.

The group seemed mismatched with Neo in his familiar jacket and boots; Fenrir in his hoodie with his yellow bag slung over one shoulder; Jormungandr in grey slacks and a light blue button up looking like a male model; and Elric in his usual butler uniform.

The disillusionment charm made sure that no one would look twice or remember their faces, and they made it through the metal detectors and into the elevators.

"That's right, we're Jedi," Neo commented under his breath with a smirk, but a glance at his servant told him that the spirit wasn't amused.

The group quietly made their way to the training floors which were located in sub-basement twelve through fourteen, and included a shooting range, armory, gym, indoor track and whale-sized swimming pool.

"Alright," the green-eyed god said with a devilish grin as he rubbed his hands together, "so, I was thinking…"

"Are you alright?" Fenrir suddenly asked.

"I hope you didn't hurt yourself, kid," Magnum replied.

Neo gave them an annoyed glare, "You guys are a riot. Anyway, like I was saying, I was thinking that we could help these SHIELD agents with their training." The devious smirk was back, and it was matched by the two other gods and magic canine. "Magnum, I think that you and Zoul should take the track, so you can help the runners beat their personal records. Jormungandr gets the pool for obvious reasons. Fenrir will take the gym locker room. I'm going to 'inventory' the armory while Elric and Argyros help with target practice at the shooting range. We can switch it up after a few minutes, okay?" a devilish smirk crossed his lips, "Let's have some fun."

 ***Break***

In the span of a half an hour Agent Phil Coulson received a number of strange reports from agents that had been to the training floors. There were reports of faulty weapons from the armory; or maybe 'faulty' wasn't the right word because the guns worked just fine, but they shot out paintballs even after agents reloaded with live rounds. The paintballs where not so bad since they were highly accurate and traveled as fast as normal bullets; the problem was the vanishing targets and the sudden blinding flash of light with the sound of something flying in the air at your head. And that was just the beginning; agents were complaining about glowing red eyes, giant teeth and growling from the gym locker. One agent nearly drowned in the training pool, when he saw what he claimed was a humungous snake head at the bottom of the pool that had tried to eat him. When three sweaty out of breath trainees came running into his office, Phil had almost had enough. It took the three agents a while to catch their breath and explain that they had just been chased around the track for the last thirty minutes by a giant vanishing dog with glowing blue eyes and a shadow with glowing red eyes.

After the frightened runners left his office Phil relaxed enough to let out a sigh and thanked whatever god was watching over him that Fury wasn't there; that doesn't' mean Phil believed Fury wasn't already aware of the situation; the senior agent was just glade that he wasn't going to have to deal directly with Fury's temper.

Phil would later think that it was ironic that he had thanked a god for his luck after finding out that a god was the one causing his problems, but that's what you get when dealing with a son of Hermes.

Phil left his office and made his way to the shooting range where it was surprisingly quiet. "It's too quiet," he said to himself.

Suddenly there was a commotion outside and Phil followed it to the armory where he took a moment to realize what he was seeing. There were hippos on one side of the hall to the armory, but that wasn't the weirdest part. The hippos were various colors (not grey or pink or even brown, because that would be slightly more normal for a hippo, in a secret government facility, underground), but Phil forced his brain to move past the fact that there were at least a dozen hippos of every color from Purple to yellow and onto the fact that they were all standing on their hind legs carrying what looked like cannons. The hippos were firing the cannons at a group of agents that were firing paintballs back at the animals marching toward them like a parade line. The hippos fired a volley from their front line but the black cannonballs burst in midair and sent down a shower of cooked rice onto the agents.

The attention of the spies was divided though as half of them fired at the other end of the hall where a group of green gorillas were hurling butter-filled balloons at them. Then the whole group panicked when a swarm of Chihuahua-sized bees came swooping in, but instead of stinging them, the bees began to through-up buckets of honey all over the agents. After the agents were completely dowsed in honey everyone in the hall heard the noise of tiny feet coming closer and the gorillas and hippos split apart allowing two groups of puppies to come at the agents from each end of the hall. The slippery butter and honey made it impossible for the agents to escape as they were ganged-up on by hungry puppies that started licking the agents from head to toe.

Some of his agents actually cooed at the babies, and Phil's eye gave an involuntary twitch. It took no time at all for the puppies to mysteriously cleanup the entire mess and then disappear, along with the hippos and gorillas.

"Agent Coulson, Sir!" one of the trainees called out, causing the others to scramble to attention.

A braver recruit was the first to speak up as they formed a line, "Sir, let us explain…"

"Explain what? I saw what happened," his eyes seemed to get a little harder, "I saw a group of SHIELD agents get taken down by puppies. Obviously you need more training, but I think that's enough for today, dismissed."

"Yes, sir!"

Once the hall was clear a voice spoke from behind the senior agent, "Nice way to play that off as a training exercise," Neo smiled pleasantly when Phil turned to look at him, "How is work, dear?"

"It seems to have gotten a little exciting around here. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Neo shook his head and tried to look innocent (Phil wasn't buying it), "Oh, really? Well, I've only been here for a little while…"

"So the other agents' suddenly reporting strange things happening in the training rooms has nothing to do with you?" the older man asked as he gave the young god an un-amused look.

"I haven't been to the training rooms," Neo commented as he plucked a stray piece of rice off of Phil's suit.

"That's not an answer to my question," Phil mentioned after he processed the god's words, "I asked if it had anything to do with you."

Rolling his green eyes, Neo replied, "You're the spy, so you tell me, all I can say is I didn't do anything to the training rooms."

"Then it was your cousins at the pool and in the locker room."

Green eyes locked onto inquisitive blue as the god changed the subject, "I'm hungry. We should grab something to eat."

"I still have work to do," Phil replied calmly while he silently added, 'and even more now.'

Neo waved the comment away, "Just tell the agent in-charge of the trainees to do his job and help them file their reports…I'm thinking Vietnamese for lunch," the god turned sharply and walked away with complete confidence that the agent would follow, then addressed a figure standing inside the Armory as he walked by, "Elric make sure that the others know it's time to leave and bring the car around."

"Yes, Master," the voice of Elric came from the room but he never exited and the two men made their way to the elevator. Argyros zoomed in and perched on Neo's shoulder before the doors of the lift closed. By the time Neo and Phil had crossed the lobby to the outside (Phil was adamant that he was coming because he was keeping an eye on Neo), the others were already waiting for them.

Phil pointedly glanced at his watch, "I only have an hour before I have to be back."

"You are really cute when you act all calmly annoyed and go along with my plans, but you really just want to handcuff me to your desk so you can get paperwork done and keep an eye on me at the same time," the god smirked at the blank stare his mate gave.

"You should do it," Magnum suggested to the agent, "If you let a god get away with acting too cocky, they start developing an attitude."

"We'll be sure to mention that to Hecate the next time we see her," Fenrir commented.

The ears on top of the canine's head suddenly pinned themselves back and he growled, "Don't even joke about that."

There was some conversation in the vehicle on the way to the restaurant and continued after they were seated and the waiter had taken their orders.

"Cool decorations, hey Jo did you ever visit Vietnam?" Fenrir asked his brother from across the table.

"Which century?" the older god questioned casually. His eyes were drawn to a copy of an old painting depicting a large sea dragon attacking a boat hanging behind the wolf god.

Neo smirked as he noticed the ice-blue eyes of the dragon in the picture. Unfortunately his good mood was buffeted by Phil's next comment.

"I'm assuming all of them," the agent concluded, "after all Jormungandr, or the World Serpent, is supposed to be so big that he can wrap around the whole planet and bite his own tail. I'm just surprised that the world hasn't fallen apart."

Jormungandr's eyes locked on the agent sitting next to his brother, "It seems you brushed up on your history, but be careful what you _assume_. Humanity is wrong to think that the stories are a hundred percent true. And do not forget, there are plenty of other harbingers of Ragnarok besides Jormungandr and Fenrir."

The conversation ended as the waiter delivered their food, and silence lingered as everyone dug into their meals with gusto. It wasn't until the gods were all on their second helpings that the quiet was interrupted.

Neo noticed Phil mostly done with his meal and asked, "So what do you think about the food?"

"It's pretty good. I think I'll try it again, and I noticed that this place delivers," there was more behind the words, of course, but he didn't really feel like coming out and saying 'it was a waste of time to go out and eat'. He was busy trying to protect the world and honestly didn't feel like he had time to go on a date, because what else could this be, maybe when he was younger but not now.

"Though not all the way to your office, I would think," Neo replied, "besides, when would you find the time to order take-out if you're too busy to even eat."

"Uh-oh," Fenrir stage whispered across the table to Jormungandr, "Mom and Dad are fighting."

The serpent god let out a chuckle and quickly finished off his food before standing up, "Come on, we should leave so they can make out."

"Don't you mean 'make up'?"

A grin raised one corner of the older god's mouth, "In this case, I'm pretty sure it will be the same thing."

Neo blinked after the two retreating gods and mumbled to himself, "They totally just left me with the bill. Oh well…" he got the waiters attention and handed over his Lotus Casino card; if the lotus eaters where going to be handing out cards for free, who was Neo to reject them, besides it was payback for trying to trap him.

There was something else for Phil to add to his long list of reasons he really shouldn't even be thinking about a relationship with Neo; as an agent of SHIELD he was always waiting for a call, always 'on the clock'. What if he had to suddenly leave? He would never be able to say where he was going or what he was doing. Phil knows not to make plans ahead of time because there might be a sudden emergency, but in his past relationships he was still expected to be there for birthdays and anniversaries. Not to mention the danger; SHIELD came first because it was his job to protect people, but it put the people around him in danger. Neo would become a target for anyone who wanted to use him against Phil, and then there was the knowledge that most SHIELD agents didn't have high life expectancies.

There was also that small part of him (his inner critic) that told him he had been around the block one too many times as an agent to be considered an ideal boyfriend, or whatever Neo considered him. Phil knew that he wasn't as young as he once was or as handsome, and he definitely had a healthy dose of cynicism. He honestly believed that he wasn't capable of being in a relationship with a teenage god, no matter how mature said god could be. (A.N.: Phil is being a little pessimistic, but I want to remind everyone that in this fanfic Coulson looks slightly younger with muscles and more hair. I am not dissing Clark Gregg, he's a sexy beast! I'm just saying that in my story Phil looks a little different.)

But even with his list of reasons against it, there was still the undeniable attraction he had for the young god. There were a few times that Fury commented on him being a romantic, but Phil never thought he would have an honest to goodness 'butterflies in his stomach' reaction to someone; until he met the gorgeous young god that had taken his breath away. In a room full of excessively wealthy and beautiful people, Neo had been like a diamond in a mountain of coal. Years of SHIELD training had stopped him from showing his reaction to the teen during the firefighters benefit, but from that moment Phil has felt a constant pull toward Neo.

"I enjoyed lunch," Neo's words distracted Phil from his thoughts making him look up at the smiling face of the teen, "Thank you for coming with me." The look of genuine happiness coming from the god made the agents heart speed up a little.

"Thank you for inviting me," was the automatic reply.

Letting out a small puff of air in a quiet scoff, Neo rolled his eyes, "Oh please, unleashing pranks on your subordinates and then dragging you here does not constitute as an invitation. I just hope I don't have to resort to kidnapping you again in the future. Still, the food was good and the company enjoyable."

"So this was your plan all along? Why not just ask me over the phone?"

Neo smiled sheepishly and nervously rubbed his neck, "Well…I could say that it was more fun this way, or that I knew you would decline over the phone, but the simple answer is…you never gave me your phone number."

Phil's face was suddenly blank; Neo was right, he hadn't given the teen his number. 'I need to fix that before something like this happened again,' he thought, 'but how do I know he won't just do it again, anyway?' Phil reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a plan white card with black print, "Here," he said handing it to the raven haired man, "that's my contact number."

The god gave a mischievous smirk, "See that wasn't so hard."

"Actually it was very painful, but I'm sure my _subordinates_ will appreciate my sacrifice," the older man joked as a lazy grin spread across his lips.

"Hah, that was funny," Neo commented as he beamed at the agent, "and you're smiling."

The young god chuckled again when the waiter returned with wide eyes to hand him back his card and receipt. The two men left as the server stuttered through his goodbye, too shocked at the infinite credit card to voice a proper farewell.

Unable to resist his desire to get closer to his mate, Neo shortened the gap between Phil and himself and slipped his hand into Phil's as they walked to the hummer but reluctantly let go before getting in the back next to Magnum, who had been watching over a certain shadow cub.

The ride to SHIELD HQ was shorter than expected, and the green eyed god got out of the car first to hold the door open for everyone.

Argyros let out a quiet cry as he flew overhead to let his godling know he was near, " _The bald human-Cyclops is waiting for you, godling, be careful._ "

With a quiet laugh, Neo looked up to find Fury waiting for them when they entered the lobby.

"I am damn sure you are not authorized to be in here," the black clad man ground out between clenched teeth.

Fenrir shrugged, "You let us in this morning."

Fury fixed the wolf god with an angry look, "So you're the one who messed with my training rooms."

"Oh, did something happen?" Jormungandr asked innocently.

"Twenty-five…Twenty-five new recruits reported some kind of incident this morning while training. One of them was dragged to the med-bay for a sedative while screaming about a giant snake in the pool that tried to eat him. That particular recruit's file shows that he has Ophidiophobia, which is an abnormal fear of snakes. Then who should show up to take my best agent out to lunch but _you_ …" Fury levels an accusing glance at Neo, "and suddenly no more reports about strange things happening in the training room."

With a bored expression, Neo looks the dark-skinned man in his eye, "I get the feeling you're trying to say something, but hold that thought."

To say everyone was surprised when the raven haired teen turned and grabbed the senior agent to draw the older man in close for a searing kiss, would be an understatement. Everything seemed to stop as agents all around the ground floor stared at the kid who was crazy enough to mess with Agent Coulson, but some of the women were secretly fan-girling. Then it blew their minds when Phil raised his hands to cradle the teens face and return the kiss. There was even a tell-tale thud of someone fainting, from a nose-bleed.

"See, I told you," Jormungandr said to his brother.

Fenrir just nodded, "Yep."

A vein on Fury's forehead suddenly popped up and started throbbing.

Neo was smiling happily when the kiss broke, "I could get addicted to kisses like that," he mused, "I'll have to come around more often, if that's how you're going to send me off."

Phil sighed, "I would appreciate you calling me first, maybe if I have enough time I can save someone from being mentally scarred again."

"Challenge accepted…" the young god said with a mischievous smirk.

"That's not what I meant," the brunette stated, but Neo seemed to ignore him.

"…but that will have to wait, I have to get back to the mansion. You should stop by for dinner," The raven haired god pecked the senior agent on the cheek before turning sharply and heading back toward the door, "Don't be a stranger, Dear. I'll call you later!"

The godly brothers were quick to follow their cousin as they returned to the stretched hummer and quickly drove away, with Argyros high in the sky following them.

 ***Break***

When the gods made it back to Xavier's mansion, everyone had returned. James, Victor and Bucky were playing pool in the Rec room when Neo found them. Fenrir had headed off to play with the students and Jormungandr had gone to keep an eye on his brother. Argyros and Zoul were outside hunting down a snack before dinner and Magnum went to the kitchen with Elric to act as a taste tester for the spirit.

The brunette mutant smiled at his mate, "Did you have fun while you were out?"

Neo laughed and regaled them with his version of events at SHIELD, which was pretty close to the truth. The ex-soldiers all laughed and finished up their game, before starting a new one and letting the god join them.

"With the way the vein on Fury's head was twitching, I seriously thought he was going to shoot me," the god admitted as he lined up his shot and sank one of his balls into a corner pocket.

"He still might," the familiar voice of Death said, causing the men to turn and look at the entity that had just appeared. Death noticed Bucky and held out a hand which the man took, "It is nice to meet you face-to-face Sergeant Barnes. I was a little busy when you were pulled into my Realm so I asked Life to meet you in my absence, besides I knew you would be alright," she sent a smile to Neo and the god could feel how proud the entity was of his ability to cross the Realms, not completely on his own but someday.

Bucky didn't know what to say to _the_ Death, so he summoned up his charm and kissed her hand, "Nice to meet you too, Ma'am."

"You are quite the charmer, but you don't need to be so nervous, I just came to invite my Master to a party," Death said as she made her way toward Neo.

Neo gave Death a cautious look, "What party?"

"Frigga's coronation, of course," Death said dancing around Neo before placing her arm through his, "Silly Master, you did proclaim her Allmother while you were on Asgard. That kind of title does deserve a little pomp and circumstance."

"So, when is it?" Neo asked. No way was he going to miss his grandmother's coronation, or an excuse to visit his family.

Tomorrow, but I will be taking you tonight. As a member of the Royal Family of Asgard, you will need to be present during the ceremony, and tonight is the pre-coronation party where you will be officially introduced to the people as Thor's son and heir."

"I-I don't think that's necessary…," the young god started to deny.

"Rumors have already started to circulate. The people need the rumors to be confirmed, it will set their minds at ease and make it easier for everyone," Death elaborated with a sigh, "I know you don't like to be the center of so much attention, but it will die down eventually."

"Before or after?" he asked cynically.

Bucky gave a confused look, "Before or after, what?"

Death smirked, "He means 'before or after he commits a political faux pas', which is highly likely in Neo's case."

James wrapped his arm around Neo's shoulders and pulled him into his chest, "Don't look so worried. I may not act like it much but I know a thing or two about high class parties. I'll make sure you don't do something, too bad."

The green-eyed teen heard the teasing note in the mutant's voice and gave a glaring pout, "Gee, thanks."

"Actually," Death said from where she was leaning against the pool table as she silently observed the two, "Mortals cannot enter Asgard."

"Then James is perfect," Neo stated emphatically, "and Victor can come too."

"I don't do fancy parties," the blonde mutant objected, but his statement was overlooked as Death spoke again.

"You know that's not what I meant, I mean 'Mortals' as in beings without divine blood. James and Victor may have a hard time staying dead but they are not gods."

"I wasn't either until a short time ago," the young god countered, "and if this is a political thing, there must be representatives from other worlds showing up. What's the problem?"

Death sighed, "Now is not the right time, _trust_ me on this," the grave tone and almost foreboding words made Neo hesitate, then Death tried to placate her Master, "Be at peace, Jormungandr and Fenrir will be expected to attend the coronation as well. You will also be accompanied by your servants, and do not forget that you will be meeting your Father and Uncle again once you arrive."

It was silent for a few seconds before Neo responded, "Fine, but if I get bored, I won't be held accountable for my actions and I'll blame it on you."

The entity gave a small smile, "I've been blamed for worse things. It's a party, have fun, live a little and teach those Asgardians how to relax. Everyone still goes around saying "King this," and "Prince that," so sick an army of blue ballerina bunnies on them for me."

Neo snorted and quickly tried to cover it with a cough. "Elric," the green-eyed teen called and wasn't surprised when the spirit walked into the room a few seconds later, "find Jormungandr and Fenrir, and tell them we will be leaving for Asgard soon."

The servant bowed, "Right away, my Lord," and then he was gone again.

Neo turned back to Death but the entity was no longer visible, though he still sensed Death in the room. The god pulled out of his mates hold and leaned over the pool table once again. The angle was perfect on his last ball and he sunk it before putting his cue stick back in the stand with a sigh.

James chuckled behind his mate, "You know, Darlin', it's pretty ironic…Death telling you to live a little."

The god bite his lip trying to hide a smirk, "Death has a point though," Neo said as he sashayed back to the brunette mutant, "and I have a few minutes before I have to leave. Why don't you give me a proper goodbye, love?"

"Let me get right on that," James said, his voice low and rumbling as he gripped Neo's waist pulling the god flush against him and crashing their lips together.

"Ugh, get a room," Victor grumbled before pulling a blushing Bucky out of the room with him. The only reply was James hands moving to Neo's butt and lifting the god into the air forcing him to wrap his legs around the older man's hips for support.


	12. Chapter 11

The Law of Three

Chapter 11

Elric went to inform Fenrir and Jormungandr that they would be leaving, and the wolf god requested a little more time to finish the game of basketball that had just been started.

Later, when the children were called inside to wash up before the evening meal, Fenrir and Jormungandr came in behind them. The two brothers meandered through the bottom floor before meeting everyone in the kitchen.

Victor and Bucky had stayed in the kitchen after they left the rec room, and a little while later Neo and James joined them, all four were now sitting at the table. Zoul lay in the darkest corner of the kitchen, and seemed to be asleep but every once and awhile the shadow wolf's ear would twitch. Argyros was enjoying sitting on Elric's shoulder, as the servant occasionally offered the silver falcon tiny morsels he was preparing.

"I thought we were supposed to be leaving, why is everyone sitting around?" Fenrir asked.

"Mortals aren't allowed in Asgard, so you, Jormungandr and I will be leaving," Neo corrected, "Elric, Argyros and Zoul will be coming with me. I tried to argue that Sirius and Remus are an exception as my guardians, but apparently the pantheons only acknowledge another god's authority inside that beings own territory."

"Hecate's blessing allowing Sirius and Remus into Camp Half-Blood, only counts because it is inside Olympus' sphere of control," Magnum explained.

Fenrir frowned and his eyes found Magnum, "What about you?"

"Not this time. I'm stuck here on Terra Firma, Hecate wants me to return, so I'll be heading out after you leave," the trainer informed.

"How unfortunate," Jormungandr commented in a derisive tone. The Serpent god had always told himself, if he ever stepped foot on Asgard it would be too soon, and now he would be going back for the second time after being released from Odin's curse.

"Cut it with the attitude, kid, I get enough of that when I'm here" the blonde mutant grimaced as if remembering something painful, "but can't say I envy you, dressing up in a monkey suit and pretending that I give a shit about stupid people and their annoying lives. That shit is not for me."

"Aw, your concern is touching. We love you too, Vic," Neo replied sarcastically.

"Of course you do, I'm a lovable guy," Victor said in a completely deadpan tone and the few scoffs after that comment went unchallenged by the usually aggressive blonde, so everyone took it as a joke.

Elric was finally done and turned toward Neo to address his master, "If you are leaving before dinner, I think it would be polite to inform Phillip, young master. After all, you did invite him."

"Bollocks, I completely forgot!" the young god cried as he quickly dug into his pocket to pull out his phone. Neo quickly sent a text, *Hey, Phil, are you coming to dinner? – N*

It took a few minutes before there was a reply, *No, I'll be working late. – P*

*That's alright, how about a rain check? I'm going out of town for a few days, possibly longer, but I'll call you when I get back. Good night. – N*

Neo didn't wait for a reply, and instead he sent a text message to Tony, *Hey Luv, something came up and I have to go visit family for a little while. They literally live on another planet so I might be out of touch until I get back. - N*

*Wait, 'literally'? Do you own a spaceship that I didn't know about? - T*

*A spaceship would be awesome! But no, I'm taking the faster route. Ever heard of the Rainbow Bridge? - N*

*Sounds like something from a kids cartoon. - T*

*LOL, I think it is! Uncle Loki's going to love that little piece of trivia. Just, don't burn the house down while I'm gone, okay? – N*

*I can't make any promises. Things usually get a little singed around here, me included, but Dummy is on standby with the fire extinguisher. – T*

*Well thank the gods for Dummy; I don't know what we would do without him. I've got to go but I'll see you when I get back. Love you! – N*

It actually took the billionaire several minutes to reply but finally Neo's phone showed the message, *Love you too, Gorgeous, see you later. – T*

Once he read the last text message, Neo wondered if he would be able to receive calls on Asgard. He probably wouldn't have a lot of time to talk since he would be involved in the celebrations, but it would be nice to know, so he texted his father.

*Hey, Dad, can I call and send texts from Asgard? – N*

Hermes reply was as fast as always, *No problem. Death told me about the trip and I updated your call plan. Now you can make calls and send texts from anywhere, anytime, literally! No matter if it's Asgard or the 1960's. – H*

*Wow, that's awesome! Thanks, Dad. – N*

*You're welcome, Kiddo. Talk to you later. – H*

*Later, Dad. – N*

"Phil can't make it for dinner, and Tony is probably going to build a spaceship. Oh, and my phone can make calls from the past," Neo informed everyone who gave him strange looks at his announcement.

Death suddenly appeared at Neo's side, "Alright, there are a few things I need to do before we go." The entity eyed the two godly brothers, causing them to freeze and glance at each other in panic. Neo didn't blame them because Death had a strange look in her eyes, which could _not_ be a good sign.

 ***Break***

Fenrir, Jormungandr, Neo, Elric and the two animal companions appeared on the Bifrost in front of the still damaged Gate Room. Asgard was as splendid as the last time the three gods had laid eyes on it, and even better considering they were about to be treated to a party and not a battle.

Of course, the guests were expected to wear their finery. Neo was wearing his battle armor with his red cape pinned to his shoulders. He smiled, every time he wore the large piece of red cloth there was a voice in his head that said, "No capes!"

Fenrir and Jormungandr were similarly dressed; the wolf god wore armor made from black leather and bronze plating, with a dark grey cape that had the same tribal wolf design as his hoodie; the serpent god wore brown leather and silver armor with a jade green cape. Death had good taste but she seemed to act like a real fashionista when it came to designing a look for Fenrir and Jormungandr, and it had taken them an hour (even with Death's powers) to finally leave.

The troop of royal guards waiting for them gave a salute and stood at attention. They knew their duties to the Royal Family, and while some of the guard had been assigned as Fenrir's jailors, the Allmother's decree that Fenrir and Jormungandr were no longer banished was enough for the warriors; this was made easier, due to the fact none of the guards truly held hostility toward the two Sons of Loki.

The group was led by armored escort to the celebration halls, while Elric maintained a position between the guards and his master. The wariness of the spirit had Neo on edge until they entered the large hall where Frigga, Odin, Loki and Thor stood waiting.

Thor, who had been anxiously waiting, called out to Neo and made his way toward the three young gods. His long strides cleared the celebration hall in seconds and Neo was suddenly seized in a bone crushing huge. Thor's smile as he embraced his son brightened the entire hall. Neo tightened his arms around his father's torso and silently enjoyed the hug as his heart thumped happily in his chest.

When father and son finally pulled apart, Thor looked at his nephews, "and I have not forgotten you two," which was all the warning Fenrir and Jormungandr received before they were swept up in Thor's mighty arms.

"Are you trying to steal the affections of my sons, brother," Loki teased as he appeared behind Thor with Frigga next to him, "Come now, dear brother, I wish to greet them as well."

Once Thor released the two brothers, Loki took them into his arms and held them close to his chest like he would never let them go. Both buried their faces into their father's neck and Fenrir gave a contented sigh as he took in his father's scent. The pain of centuries separated from each other could not be soothed by one embrace but it appeared that the three were definitely making up for lost time.

Thor rested his large hand on his son's shoulder as they watched Loki and his sons. "We were not parted as long as my brother and nephews, but I wish you to know that no loss has been greater than the years we were separated."

Neo smiled and hugged his father again. While in the embrace, Neo's eyes surveyed the room and the ethical part of him was happy to see the guilty look in Odin's eyes as the god watched his broken family reunite; however, the young god was disappointed by the pride that still shown deep in Odin.

He grit his teeth before he spoke, "Don't you _dare_ ," Neo's voice rang out across the hall to be heard by Odin, and called the attention of the rest of his family, "You should feel the deepest regret and guilty for what you have done to your own family, there is no way to justify your actions to sooth your own pride, so do not even try."

"Come now, do not be angry with your grandfather, child," Frigga said soothingly as her hand smoothed over his raven locks, "He is already being punished, it is now our turn to find it in ourselves to forgive him, so that when his punishment is complete he can find redemption."

"Forgiveness _is_ a two way street," the green-eyed teen murmured, "but it's going to be a bumpy ride."

Frigga gave a soft melodious giggle as she wrapped her arms around her grandson, "You are just like your father," she cooed, "he has always been a little stubborn."

"A little?" Loki grumbled sarcastically.

"Be kind when speaking about your brother, my son," the Allmother scolded softly. Frigga removed her arms and stepped back to look at her eldest son's heir, "Look at you, so tall and handsome! I am sure there will be many ladies of the court bending my ear this evening. It is almost sad that I will have to tell them you have already found your match."

Neo gave the goddess a curious look, "How did you know?" he asked but when he looked over to Loki, there was an answering gleam in the trickster's eyes. "Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag," the warmth in his chest grew a little, "but it's actually 'matches', three to be exact."

"Oh! Thrice blessed?" Frigga wore a surprised look. "May I ask how that came to be?"

"It sounds like quite the story," Loki cajoled, "but I'm afraid we do not have the time if we want to be ready for the celebration."

"Then, perhaps afterward…?" Frigga inquired.

Neo nodded, "Sure."

"Good, now the banquet will be ready shortly and the servants are almost finished with preparations. Seating shall be a little different as I will be at the head of the table and Odin on my left, and Thor as heir to the throne is required to sit next to me. Loki will be seated next to Thor but I am sorry to say that you three will not be assigned a seat next to your fathers, those are the seats reserved for our most acclaimed warriors. As part of the Royal family and my grandsons, you will be seated next to the warriors. But that is only during the meal once the dancing has started you can mingle around the hall. I would like the three of you to greet the guests with me so you can become familiar with them before we begin, and they will be arriving soon."

Frigga showed them around the hall which was a combination of a dining hall and a ballroom with a large patio leading out into a magnificent garden. Neo could see the white peacocks that roamed freely among the flowerbeds, and was reminded of Malfoy Manor leaving a sour taste in his mouth. The birds also caught the eye of Zoul and he didn't hesitate to give chase after the white plumed avian.

"Zoul!" Neo yelled before taking off after the rambunctious cub.

Argyros, who had been perched on Elric's shoulder since they arrived, took flight and sored passed the green-eyed god; so he was surprised when Elric reached the shadow wolf first, and caught the wolf around the head before the wolf could close its jaws on one of the peacocks. Surprised by the sudden obstacle in his path, Argyros, who had been aiming for Zoul, had to maneuver sharply away to avoid hitting Elric but flew right into one of the white birds.

Neo caught up to his servant a second later, "Perfect timing, Elric," he complimented before giving the red-eyed wolf a stern look, "Zoul, no! You shouldn't go chasing after animals in a goddesses garden. What if Frigga decided to turn you into a worm for eating one of her birds? Then you would be the one getting eaten!"

" _Zoul wanted to play with pretty birds like Zoul plays with Beta(*),_ " the wolves ears pinned back and he gave a whimper.('Beta' is what Zoul calls Argyros*)

The young god sighed and an exasperated smile stretched across his face, "That's not really playing."

"Perhaps we should send him back to Earth, Master," Elric asked politely, but the aura around the spirit was ominous and the shadow wolf whined pathetically while trying to slip into the shadows. Zoul's retreat was cut off by Elric who grabbed the pup by the scruff and effortlessly lifted the huge animal off the ground.

"No," the god told his servant, "that won't be necessary. It looks like he has learned his lesson."

" _Zoul will be good, Zoul promise._ "

" _That's great,_ " Argyros' voice was filled with sarcasm and annoyance, " _Now, would someone, please, get this peahen OFF me?!"_

Turning to his feathered partner, Neo burst into laughter. The female, recognized by her short tail-feathers, seemed to have taken a tumble when Argyros flew into her but beside some garden soil on white feathers she was no worse for wear; however, the falcon was a different story. The peahen had bent herself around the silver bird of prey and was nestled close, much to the male's displeasure. The white female cooed as she preened the feathers on Argyros' head.

"Seya, release him," Frigga said in a firm tone.

The white hen reluctantly released the silver falcon, and as soon as he was out of her clutches Argyros winged his way to Neo in a flash to sit on the gods shoulder. The falcon's eyes watched the hen suspiciously from his perch.

"Looks like your making friends," Neo teased.

Argyros puffed up in anger and glared at the teen, " _Be careful, hatchling, or I will make sure she has to go through you to get to me._ "

The young god laughed as he went back inside, "Alright, I was just joking."

The silver bird kept his eye on the peahen, but when she didn't move to follow he shook himself and smoothed down his feathers. Both, Zoul and Argyros stuck close to Neo after the trouble in the garden.

The older goddess then gave all three of her grandson's a quick update of the guest list. Most of the guests tonight would be the Lords and Ladies of Asgard, and tomorrow representatives and rulers from the nine realms would arrive for the Allmother's coronation.

Neo was told that celebrations usually lasted days, if not weeks, but Asgard had already hosted celebrations for the new Allmother and the successful thwarting of Laufey's invasion, so the party that night was mostly formality and the coronation was simply protocol.

A little less than an hour later, the warriors three and Lady Sif entered the hall. The warriors were obviously dressed in their finest armor while Sif wore a sleeveless silver and red dress, almost resembling her armor but included a long skirt that touched the floor, and her hair was styled in a bun. The rest of the guests arrived soon after.

 ***Break***

The Asgardian court had 'mostly' come to terms with the change in ruler, but Neo could see the looks. Some of the Lords and Ladies looked at the Allmother with veiled annoyance at best and traitorous disgust at worst. Right now Neo had the impression that his grandmother was sitting in a den of hyenas waiting to strike at the first sign of weakness, and it started a simmering contempt bubbling in his gut.

Loki placed a hand on his nephews shoulder; the older god's grip was firm and commanding. When the teen looked into his uncles eyes there was the same boiling hatred for the court reflected back, but it was tempered with years of dealing with such trash and had been honed into his infamous 'silver tongue'. Loki knew the game and he had become a master at playing it; he would teach his nephew a few _tricks_ before the night was done. With that last thought Loki sent the younger god a devious smirk. "Come, it is time to start the celebration. We wouldn't want you to miss your own introduction to the court…or the looks on their faces."

The Royal family stood together before the gathering of their people. Frigga warmly welcomed all of them and commanded the attention of the room effortlessly, "…Asgard is much honored to have two princes' return home after so long," she paused for a moment as applause sounded through the hall, "Hark, for this is not only a joyous return but a happy welcome and I ask you all to join me in welcoming another of my grandsons. Neo Evan Thorson," the teen god stepped forward and watched the shocked faces, "First born and heir of Prince Thor."

The crowd suddenly burst into cheers and the hall was filled with noise.

'And there it is—gender bias—but in a society this old that's normal,' Neo thought as he watched the shock turn to respect from most, and scorn from a small few. Ladies of the court seemed to be the least happy to learn of Neo, 'Worthless tittering wenches hoping to marry into royalty and become the broodmare of their king, and they wouldn't even care if the king was a pompous cowardly pig as long as they had money and fame. Obviously, they were hoping to be the one to bare Thor an heir. Wait until they find out just who my **mother** is.'

The young god's anger was stamped out as his father smiled at him, Thor was so proud of his son and it was like his body couldn't contain it as the warrior beamed making the room that much brighter.

Once the cheers calmed, Frigga directed the gathering to the feasting tables to enjoy the magnificent fare that had been prepared for the celebration. Loki stepped close to his nephew, "Asgardian politics is more treacherous to navigate than that of Midgard. Here a blade in the back is still a common practice. Take caution with the Lords and Ladies of this court."

"Mundane human politics may be different, but I feel right at home," he replied quietly while thinking of all the witches and wizards that had died for another's political ambitions, thanks to Dumbledore and Voldemort.

Loki scoffed, "Yes, as do I," he tugged teasingly on a strand of his nephew's long hair causing the other to swat playfully at the offending hand.

The two brothers and their cousin took the places Frigga had designated for them; the three young gods had been placed next to the 'most esteemed of Asgard's warriors', which happened to be the warriors three and Sif.

The banquet was amazing and so vast that even Volstagg was satisfied; weeell~ more like, he slowed down to a more respectable rate after belching so loudly that he almost drowned out the whole hall. Neo felt like he was back at Hogwarts and he was equal parts happy and sad with nostalgia.

The animosity between Sif and Neo was like a live wire that everyone circled cautiously. The young god had watched the way the Warriors Three maneuvered themselves, so that Neo and Sif sat as far away from each other as possible.

In hindsight it probably wasn't the smartest choice of the three men to have Fandral sit next to the green-eyed teen. The handsome blonde still put on his charm for the younger god, but it was more playful banter than amorous advances.

Fandral smiled cheekily, "There is to be a dance after the banquet is finished. The greatest musicians to ever grace the halls of Asgard will be playing. Still it would be a rare treat to the ear if you were to share with us a Midgard song."

With a laugh Neo nodded in agreement, "I wouldn't mind, and I could even show you a dance or two."

"I will take you up on that offer," Fandral replied happily. They were only semi-playing and Fandral had now made it a silent goal to learn a Midgard dance.

Thor seemed to misinterpret his friend's actions; because when Fandral leaned in a little too close while regaling Neo with one of his adventures, Thor's expression would darken; and the one time Fandral winked at the younger god a current of electricity zinged through the air and the room quieted down as Thor's anger became palpable. Neo gave a sympathetic smile to Fandral, who was taken aback until he remembered, again, that Neo was his friend's son.

While the conversation was fun, Neo remembered that Death had asked him to play a prank involving blue ballerina bunnies and he had the perfect idea.

"Grandmother," the green-eyed teen called and once he had the Monarch's attention he continued, "Have you ever heard the story of the Nutcracker?"

And that was how a gaggle of blue ballerina bunnies, and red foxes dressed in toy soldier uniforms started dancing around the hall and later started fighting a group of yellow rats. Neo had only watched the Nutcracker performance once when he was little but he remembered it, and was happy that his little prank was well received as he narrated the story for his family.

The images had startled the court at first but by the end they all gave a round of applause. Of course they did, the story had fighting and the hero got the girl.

 ***Break***

After the feast people slowly left their chairs, and entertainers came out luging instruments. People started dancing to the music and laughter came from the mingling crowd that circled the dancers.

Neo had been forced, by his grandmother's amused smile and father's strong hand, into dancing with several of the court ladies whose names he didn't bother to remember. The flirtatious fluttering eyelashes that moved so fast it was like they were trying to fly off each of his dance partner's faces was accompanied by the twittering giggles the women emitted like blushing girls; it all made Neo nauseous. It would have been different and he might have enjoyed himself, if it wasn't obvious that the ladies (some of them married) were trying to weasel their way into his affections, and by proxy, the Royal family.

'Conniving half-wits,' his mind hissed, 'It's a wonder that Asgard still stands!'

In the shadows of the celebration hall sat Zoul. The shadow wolf had started out watched the goings-on curiously and with a small wag in his tail, but as his Alpha continued to circle the room moving in a not-walk the wolf became more and more agitated as his Alpha did the same. Finally the rising anger of the god, that had gone unnoticed by the other two-legged beings in the room, hit a boiling point. A deep growl resonated from the shadows and frightened the Asgardian's nearby.

Neo wrenched his hand back from the girl that had tried to drag him onto the dance floor after he had politely declined _twice_. Her forceful actions made him want to snap in her face, instead his jaw clenched, but he knew that he had gone over the edge and one more thing would have him reacting in a way he really shouldn't in this situation. His magic churned just under his skin, reacting to his heightened emotions—anger, frustration and annoyance—ready to send the girl flying but he clamped down on his power. Neo reminded himself that it wasn't completely the girls fault, his foul mood had grown slowly over the many forced dances; and he had seen the look that the girl in front of him had shot at an older man standing to the side (obviously her father) and she seemed as reluctant as him. But, he still didn't want strangers dragging him around and he had three amazing mates that made this girl look like a pile of dog crap in comparison.

'Breathe,' he reminded himself and took in a lung full of air and slowly released it, 'Ten…nine…eight…sev-' and then the girl moved closer pushing herself against him trying to press her curved figure against his arm as she snaked her fingers around his bicep.

He honestly couldn't stop it when his temper skyrocketed so fast that the blood suddenly rushing through his system made him light-headed and all he could hear was the furious thumping of his own heartbeat. Black spots had started to blur his vision and a small curious part of him wondered if he was about to be 'blackout mad'. A second passed where he seemed to be drowning in his fury, he couldn't hear the party around him, could barely see through his spotty vision, and all he felt was the swirling of his magic painfully pushing against his control.

The next second the girl was suddenly gone and Neo could breathe again. He gulped in precious air and panted softly as he came back to his senses. His brain ran through the last seconds again and noted the sudden disappearance of his latest irritation; where had she gone? Had he lost control and hurt her? In the back of his mind he acknowledged that there was a dark park of his conscience which was fine with the possibility that he had injured the girl.

The sound of a deep growl and the movement of Zoul on his left snapped him out of his thoughts.

A few feet away from him the girl stood with an ashen face and wide eyes. He observed her but beside her paleness and look of fear she was fine. Then he noticed her eyes weren't looking at him but something behind him and that was when he sensed something.

His mind had been so focused on controlling his rage that he hadn't paid attention to his surroundings, something he mentally kicked himself for, but now that he was paying attention he felt something behind him. A pulse of power, cool and familiar, brushed gently against him trying and succeeding in soothing his storming magic.

Neo turned, and then smiled as his eyes took in the figure in front of him; she was tall and beautiful, with sensuous curves and a perfect face, and pale snow-white skin. Soot colored lashes framed completely white eyes, her pitch black hair was swept into an updo revealing a slender neck that was on display thanks to the strapless emerald green dress she wore and a long, black, silk shawl hung low around her back resting in the crook of her elbows.

Once again he realized how much taller his cousin was than him. Neo found it mostly amusing since Hela's height only added to her beauty, and made her long legs peeking through the slits in the sides of her dress even more stunning; the giantess towered over the people of Asgard, drawing attention from courtiers and warriors alike.

"It seems that you have danced with most of the women here, dear cousin, therefore I believe it is my turn." Her words were firm and left no room for argument but the small twitch at the corner of her lips showed that she was amused. The goddess turned to the girl that had been bothering Neo. "I'm sure no one would object."

The girl actually squeaked as she shook her head quickly and retreated.

There was a smirk on his face as he looked up at his cousin, "You enjoy this as much as your father," Neo accused, but he didn't deny the fact that he took as much pleasure in the girls fear as Hela.

Gleaming white eyes shined with laughter, "Absolutely," was the one word reply that came out husky and low, her hidden amusement affecting her voice instead of her features.

He chuckled, "…but seriously, how do I dance with someone that is twice as tall as me?"

"You become taller," Hela said cryptically.

'Yeah, because I totally know how to do that,' Neo thought sarcastically before deciding that it wouldn't hurt to try, maybe…well at least he knew he wouldn't die.

His power was already buzzing, ready to do his bidding and the teen took a deep breath. The picture he built in his mind to guide his magic was himself standing next to Hela, his figure proportionate to hers, but he focused more on himself; he needed to be proportionate or he might end up looking like a piece of taffy that had been pulled from both ends and he was sure that wouldn't be good for his bones.

When it happened, the change was different from his transformation into Thyra; his body wasn't being molded into a different form, instead magic swelled inside of him but staying just under his skin. Then his body felt normal again, as if nothing had happened.

Green eyes opened to stare straight ahead into creamy white. He made sure he could feel all of his fingers and toes before he actually looked down at himself. Taking a minute to feel _all_ of his extremities he breathed a relieved sigh. 'It worked, thank Merlin, it bloody worked!'

The goddess' white eyes laughed as she took in the room around them, "Look at them…," she whispered as she stepped closer.

Neo quickly glanced around as he brought his arms up into the formal position he had been dancing in for what felt like hours now, but she quickly drew his right hand down to her lower back and brought their bodies closer than anyone had dared that night. His body remembered this position too and they fell into step as the music struck up again.

Once they had joined the dancers she continued to speak, "…the women have wicked looks in their eyes now, probably thinking about how best to use that particular magic in _other_ ways. The warriors, on the other hand, are just as jealous as they are offended by the realization that you possess magic. Asgard is inhabited by fools and gluttons, of one kind or another."

"If you hate it so much, why did you come?" Neo asked as he held her with a gentle firmness and began to step quickly as the beat of the music picked up.

"Usually because it is required of me, and sometimes I come for the entertainment value. Tonight, it is a little bit of both," her hand slid to the nap of Neo's neck as she pulled him in to whisper in his ear, "Care to play along with me?"

The music died down and in the following silence before the musicians began the next song Neo sighed; he mentally slapped himself when he realized what Hela had been doing, the dress, her smirk, even the way her hand lingered on the nap of his neck was all an act to feed the gossip and scandal. He smiled as he drew her in until there was no space between them, who was he to spoil her fun? And even Neo could admit that the thought of playing this little prank on the court was feeding his inner mischief-maker. There was nothing between him and his cousin, romantically, but everyone would be questioning that when Hela was finished.

His eyes fell on the instruments still in the musicians hands and with a surge of power they took on a life of their own, they floated into the air and started playing a slow seductive tune.

The other dancers not familiar with the song hesitated to return to the dance floor and Neo skillfully used the extra room to twirl Hela across the floor. Their movements were slow as they practically clung to each other. Neo would dip his dance partner and she would lean her head back and push her chest out. He would hold her firmly to his front when he spun her into his chest. Hela's hands were not idle as she smoothed her hands along his arms and even caressed his face a few times. He caught a few heated looks and envious glares coming from the crowd, but Loki's smirk was encouraging.

When the music slowly calmed and only the sound of a base cello playing low was left to linger in the air, Neo stopped them in front of his family.

Frigga and Odin stood behind their sons; while Jormungandr and Fenrir had stayed close to Loki, and the Warriors Three plus Sif were close to Thor. Hela moved to speak to her father.

Movement from his left a sort of shift in the stance of the person next to Sif drew Neo's attention. He quickly recognized that figure and smiled widely. The look of confused wariness on Sif's face made him scoff as he came closer and addressed the large figure behind her.

"It is good to see you," it was almost a question but Neo kept his tone pleasant.

Dark eyes gazed back for a moment and then a deep voice addressed the teen god, "Lady Amora attends these gatherings and it is my duty to accompany her."

"I told you, you would have your hands full," the younger man laughed, "Are you at least enjoying yourself?"

"Skurge is not a fan of such gatherings as this," Amora said as she stepped around her bodyguard and into view.

"Then join us in our fun," Hela offered as she stood next to Neo, "It seems that no one has started another dance. We should try to return the party to its previous boisterous mood."

"I believe that is because none of the musicians can reach their instruments," Amora pointed out.

There were several men hopping around trying to catch the instruments above their heads, but the floating items would rise up just out of reach. Neo found it funny that no one came to ask him to return them so he continued his spell and snickered.

'Definitely, more fun than I thought it would be,' Neo thought but was distracted when his mind returned to the enchantress and her guard. 'He loves her, maybe she just needs a push to get the idea? Of course, that means I'll just have to set the mood.'

The teen god clapped the large warrior on his shoulder and a jolt of magic ran through the larger man, "Come on, I think these ladies deserve a dance."

"I do not dance," the warrior admitted and he seemed almost embarrassed, but the subtle cheering charm was working.

"I had a feeling that was the problem," Neo just shrugged and pushed Skurge onto the dance floor as Hela nudged Amora into her guard, "but you cannot honestly tell me you have attended these gatherings for centuries and never learned?" Neo lead Hela back onto the dance floor as he spoke to Skurge, "Watch me, and if you get confused…improvise, just have fun."

The music started again but this time it was more enchanting with a tinkling, crystal, chime. Neo held Hela cradled in his arms like she was glass and Skurge followed. Their steps were graceful and passionate, swirling and spinning.

It took the room by surprise when an ethereal voice began to sing, just as Skurge caught Amora's eyes and held her gaze. The hauntingly beautiful words seemed to wrap around the warrior and enchantress. Neo and Hela had come to the edge of the dance floor but the other pair didn't notice. The large warrior held his dance partner in his arms as they danced, and their eyes never left the others.

The music tapered off and the tinkling of small chimes sounded until a louder clang rang out like a clock striking midnight. The noise seemed to wake the warrior and sorceress from their trance.

Skurge stepped back and bowed over Amora's hand, "My lady," his deep voice was full of emotion and it sent a shiver down the woman's back.

'Have his words always carried such deeper meaning?' Amora asked herself.

"You two were positively _enchanting_ ," Hela commented, her playful smirk resided in her eyes instead of on her face, and it was only noticeable as the natural presence of Death she carried was eased by her good mood.

The blonde sorceress' plump lips parted, no doubt to give a salacious retort, but before she could speak a loud clatter rose from the side of the room. Every head turned to see a musician sprawled across the ground with a brass horn clutched in his hands.

An exhausted sigh came from beside the group of four, where Frigga stood, and her stern gaze had Neo swallowing the laugh that had been about to burst out of his throat.

"I think now would be a good time to take a break from dancing and partake in the refreshments," the Allmother said to her grandson, "and you may want to turn in early. It is important that you are well rested come the morrow, as the coronation will begin after first light."

"Yes, Allmother," Neo replied sheepishly. He had done it again, the zing of energy that coursed through him was fueled by the mischief he had caused, and he really only had himself to blame; it had never been so hard to control his inherent thirst for chaos until he became a god, now it was like he was making up for lost time.

Knowing that things would settle down, Frigga smiled her motherly smile and kissed her grandson on the cheek, "Thank you, dear, enjoy the rest of the party."

"I will. Thank you, Grandmother."

The Allmother was far away before Amora spoke, "I will take that as my cue. It was a pleasure to see you again, my prince. Good eve, Lady Hela, please excuse us." The sorceress gave an elegant curtsy and swiftly left with her bodyguard in tow.

"That was pleasant while it lasted," Hela commented, "Certainly more fun than I usually have at these Asgardian celebrations."

"Will you be here tomorrow?" the young god wondered aloud, if tonight was anything to go by, then the ceremony would probably be more fun with the goddess of Death around—and wasn't that ironic.

"Yes, and undoubtedly I will be placed at the back of the precession as usual. You are aware that I am not the most well liked ruler, as my domain is the land of the dead—Helheim—however I am obligated to present the Allmother with a gift at her coronation. The gift will symbolize the continued peace between Helheim and Asgard. I have no want to be there, it is merely a requirement."

Neo snorted, "So it's just a bunch of political bull that has to be hashed-out or you could start a war by accident?"

"Yes, but if Odin had remained Allfather much longer, it would not have been an accident," Hela's serious tone let Neo know that the Nine Realms had dodged a proverbial bullet when Death named Frigga as the new leader of Asgard.

"Oh," was all he could say for a few seconds, "That's nice to know…it's not like it will give me nightmares or anything."

He received an unrepentant grin, "Sweet dreams, dear cousin."

Neo watched as the goddess sauntered off and he was left alone. What energy he had found was slowly trickling away and without the giantess around, he let his magic change him back to his normal size. Shaking his head, he dispelled the sudden disorienting feeling and let his eyes drift toward the musicians.

"Some water, my Lord," asked the spirit now standing beside Neo.

"Thanks," the teen said as he took the offered goblet. He let the cool liquid slide down his throat and slake the thirst he hadn't felt until then. After a minute he glanced at the spirit beside him, "Do you dance, Elric?"

"There have been occasions in the past, though time has worn away some of the older memories and left me with little more than a vague recollection," the spirit admitted and the sudden honesty left the god slightly stunned, "I believe, one day those memories will simply be forgotten."

The spirit's words settled hard in Neo's mind. He knew that the spirit was old, but the god was sure that the vague memories Elric had mentioned were once very precious, and he felt for his servant.

A sudden idea had him banishing the goblet in his hand and then taking Elric's hand and pulling him to the dance floor. "Then we'll make new memories."

The instruments rose even further, almost to the ceiling, before starting another song, but it didn't bother the spirit as he politely bowed to his master and then took the lead. Ignoring the looks from the people around them, Neo watched the spirit and would occasionally give an encouraging smile when a questioning look appeared on his servants face.

"You're really good. Maybe we should go to parties more often, so you can show off," Neo said halfway through the song.

"Thank you, Master, but it would be just as well that we do not. While I can dance, I prefer not to do so with a stranger."

"Yeah, awkward conversations are annoying," the god agreed.

"It is not the conversation but the company. I find myself unable to stand those who are witless or vulgar, and only suffer in their presence. My time in the Realm of Death has revealed that 'witless' and 'vulgar' is an apt description for most of the beings in creation, with only a rare few being the exception."

"Wow, Elric," the younger replied, "That almost sounded hostile."

An unreadable look showed on the spirit's face for a second before it was gone so suddenly that Neo wondered if it was his imagination, "I apologize for my harsh words, Master. Throughout my long existence I have encountered many different people, different masters, each of them with their own personality and morals. Needless to say, some who I called master lacked morals altogether. It has aided in making me melancholic and cynical in my dealings with others, especially those of ill-repute."

"You don't have to worry about that anymore," the god reassured, "I'm your master now, and you're stuck with me **forever** remember. That's what you wanted."

"Yes, that is true," the spirit gave a rare genuine smile.

They finished the dance in companionable silence, just as they were leaving the dance floor, someone stepped in front of the young god as the instruments returned to the hands of their musicians and the band began the next song. When the teen looked he saw the grinning face of Fandral.

"May I have this dance?" The warrior asked.

Elric gave his master a small bow and retreated.

"Well that depends," Neo said noncommittally before letting his mouth curl into a mischievous smirk, "are you going to let me lead?"

 ***Break***

'It's official, Asgardian coronations _suck hairy old-man balls_ ,' Neo thought after receiving yet another elbow in his doubtlessly bruised ribs from Fenrir, but he wasn't mad, since his cousin had been keeping him from nodding off for the last two hours. Thing was he couldn't even blame his inattentiveness on lack of sleep, his bed had felt so amazing that he had slept like the dead, and had woken up feeling like a new god (pun intended); no, the problem was, the Coronation was comprised of a ridiculous amount of speeches and formalities that took hours and it was just so…damn…boring. 'No offence, Grandma,' he quickly tacked onto his previous thought. He stood at the front of the hall next to the throne with the rest of his family which unfortunately made it hard to sneak off and find something more interesting to do.

As boring as it was now, the Coronation had started off pretty interestingly when the delegates from Jotunheim arrived. Laufey surprised everyone when he treated Frigga as he would have Odin and explained that the truce between their two Realms would continue. What the giant didn't say, but Neo did via a certain white-haired being, was that Death had appeared before the frost giant while he was on his throne and explained in no uncertain terms that it would be in Jotunheim's best interest to continue the peace. So, crises averted, and score one for Death's negotiation tactics.

Another elbow to the ribs, man that was starting to hurt!

"What?" Neo hissed under his breath.

"Time to eat," Fenrir said as he followed the rest of their family to the banquet hall where an impossibly large feast was waiting.

The young green-eyed god took in the quality of the spread, and found it well above that of the celebration feast they had the previous night. The royal cooks had obviously been saving the best for now. When he received his goblet full of mead for the celebratory toast he followed his father's example and drank heavily after Frigga gave her toast. The mead touched his tongue, 'Now, that tastes different,' and that was his last coherent thought of the night.

 ***Break***

The next morning Neo woke up in a dog pile with Fenrir, Jormungandr, Loki, Thor, surprisingly Hela, Zoul, and a giant eight-legged horse wearing a paper party hat, '…wait, what?' He sat staring at the last figure for a few minutes, but his brain refused to come up with a plausible explanation and was coupled with the pounding headache that felt like an elementary school percussion band was pounding inharmoniously in his head, so he silently threw up his hands and left the room.

Elric waited outside the door, a sleeping silver falcon on his shoulder. Golden eyes caught sight of the teen and the smug servant was radiating amusement, even though his lips didn't so much as twitch.

"You're bloody lucky your eyes don't twinkle or I would punch you in the face," was the grumbled greeting from the spirit's master, "Um, I don't really want to know what happened last night…but I'm pretty sure I **need** to know. So, can you give me a quick re-cap, just start at the beginning of the feast."

Elric nodded then quickly reached out and plucked something from Neo's hair, holding it out so the god could see. It was just a silver circle, "Is that confetti?"

"Yes," Elric replied with a tone that implied he was trying not to laugh, "You found them amusing when you decided to throw a "real party" in your room last night. The party cannons have very good range for something you conjured while inebriated."

"I can't tell if that's a complement," Neo said with pout.

"It's a very sincere compliment, young master. The mead at the feast seemed to have affected you quite quickly, but that is to be expected when it was created by a race with a high tolerance for fermented brews."

"So, I got drunk?"

"Very," the answer was given in a tone that made it seem as if 'FUBAR' would have been a better word.

Neo groaned loudly, "Oh gods. That happened after the feast? How badly did I embarrass myself before that?"

"Not as badly as you could have, since I was able to pull you out of the Hall in time. That is to say, after you implied that Lady Sif would be better suited as the mate of a male pig and before you punched King Laufey."

"Wow, I did that? I almost did that?" Neo asked in disbelief.

Elric nodded, "After pulling you from the celebration hall however, you were able to slip away and made your way to the stables. I found you with the horse Sleipnir, and that was when you decided to return to your rooms to continue the celebration. At one point you announced that, while you were disappointed that he wasn't a cousin you still like his stories and proclaimed him the "most-bad-ass of all bad-ass horses" because and to quote you again, "he's super strong and kicked a giant in the nuts!" There was more if you would like me to repeat it for you."

"NO!" the teen said covering his ears and scrunching his eyes shut childishly, "Just shoot me now!"

Wiry arms wrapped around him and when Neo opened his eyes he found his uncle holding him, "Don't be too embarrassed. You made last night's celebration more fun than a coronation has any right to be, and I personally enjoyed what you said to Sif in retaliation for her mocking words at my expense."

Neo flashed a glare at Elric, the god knew that the sneaky spirit had left that part out on purpose. "I called her a sow because she was insulting you?" he bobbed his head once, "…sounds like me."

"Yes, and that is why you are now my favorite godly nephew," Loki said with a sense of finality.

The teen smiled and leaned his head against the other god's chest where he mumbled into the green fabric of Loki's tunic, "I'm your only godly nephew."

"…and one of my dear grandsons," Frigga said as she stepped out of her chambers across the hallway, "It is fortuitous that I was able to meet you here, Neo dear. Would you accompany me on my morning walk through the gardens?"

It was a simple question but Neo couldn't muster even the slightest will to say no, and that was how he found himself walking through the enormous and elaborate gardens that his grandmother adored. It was a beautiful morning, the sun was shining brightly promising to be a warm day, but there was a cool breeze and the scent from fresh flowers perfumed the air.

"It is such a lovely morning," the goddess said softly, her melodious voice gently floating through the air, "When my sons were younger I enjoyed having them with me on my morning walk but more often than not your father would rush off to the training fields to watch the warriors, and when Thor started his training it was just Loki and I. This is the very spot where I would sit with my youngest son and teach him my magic in secret," she gestured to a stone bench and the surrounding luscious green grass, "My garden is my own and my sanctuary here in Asgard. Here we can speak and your words will remain between the two of us," Frigga paused as if waiting for him to say something but it took a while for him to speak.

"I…don't know where to start. Ever since I meet Death I've had a million questions, still somewhere between finding out that I'm the Master of Death and a god, I started to accept how crazy my life has become. I have a family now and three soul mates that I want to spend the rest of my immortal life with, which is a lot more than I ever expected, and some days I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"At first being a wizard was weird but it was so cool, and learning that I wasn't the only one made me feel like I finally had somewhere I belonged. Not even Voldemort could make me regret having magic. I guess that was why it was so easy for me to accept being a demigod and then a full god. I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to be doing as a god and I definitely need more training," Neo ran his hand over the back of his neck and heard the rustle of the chain that hung from Marvápn. He looked at his right wrist, "There are perks, though I'm not quite sure what this is all about," he was of course talking about the chain and shrunken sword.

He was surprised when Frigga actually answered him, "You freed Fenrir from Gleipnir's hold; which is an object made from impossible things; in doing so, you performed a feat which was declared by the gods to be impossible. Now it is only fitting that once you have done the impossible, the impossible," she nodded to Gleipnir, "…should bend to your will.

"As for the sword," here she hesitated, "The origin of the blade is unknown, I am only aware of the ability it holds. It is a God Slayer. Wounds inflicted by the blade do not heal, and this is true for all races. Those who are used to their bodies quickly repairing themselves will find wounds caused by the sword heal very slowly leaving them to bleed out, meaning the sword can slay mortals and immortals alike."

"There was a God Slayer granted to each pantheon," Death said from beside them, surprising the gods with her sudden appearance, "Most have been reclaimed, and now only two exist in this Universe, so don't go loosing it."

Neo jiggled the chain on his wrist and grinned, "That will be hard. I think it's attached to me."

The white haired entity laughed, "Then you better keep training so you can use it properly."

"Before you head off to the training grounds," the Allmother interjected, "I think we should break our fast this morn. You are welcome to join us," she extended the invitation to Death, who accepted with a smile and nod.

When they showed up for breakfast, everyone else was waiting for them, except for Sleipnir who was taking his breakfast in the stables with the other royal steeds. The food was good, but Neo had to stop himself from choking on it several times, due to sudden bouts of laughter. Loki had made it his mission to aggravate the headaches the others were suffering thanks to their hangovers. The young god was just happy that his headache had dissipated on his walk with Frigga.

The loud honking noise that came from the apple Volstagg grabbed startled the large man and left the others clutching their ears. Thor gave Loki a disapproving look that had Neo chuckling at the mistaken identity of the culprit. Loki shot a knowing look at his nephew and winked when his brother wasn't looking.

Frigga whipped her mouth daintily before addressing her oldest son, "Perhaps it would behoove your son for you to show him the training grounds."

Frigga had phrased her words like a question or even a suggestion, but Thor knew better, still he couldn't help but comment, "Today is the assembly with the Captains of the Guard. I shall need to be present, and it is unlikely that all of the affairs will be settled before the noon meal."

"Then we shall take him to the fields," Volstagg volunteered himself and the other warriors, "A warrior should not let his blade gather rust, besides 'tis a fine opportunity to become acquainted with the princes."

"I think that is a grand suggestion, my friend," Fandral agreed with a smile, "Let us get to know the sons of our dear friends."

Thor narrowed his eyes and electricity gathered in the air, "Take heed, for it would do you ill to seek to know my son _too_ well."

Fandral hid his fear well at his friend's threat, "Calm yourself, Thor, I have come to feel for your son only as I would a nephew. Thy well-meaning threats are understandable but not necessary, old friend…now the Lady Jane on the other hand, is a picture of beauty," Thor actually growled causing Fandral to raise his hands in mock defense, "I jest, I jest!"

The others laughed as Thor's temper abated but everyone was ready to begin their day by then, so the warriors and the three young gods made their way to the training grounds. Neo couldn't say that he was disappointed when Sif chose not to come along, he didn't hate her but he didn't care much for her attitude either.

The training grounds were located in a large courtyard between the castle and the giant exterior defensive wall. There was grass surrounding the area except for the patches of pitted dirt that had been warn away due to heavy traffic, obviously those were the sparing circles. A handful of men were scattered around the area; two men fought with swords, while an older man slowly went through movements that were being mimicked by a younger man, a warrior dressed in the royal guard colors was practicing archery and three more men ran through a small obstacle course set up to increase speed and stamina.

"The guards train twice a day, before they break their fast and before the evening meal. This is why we three," he nodded to Volstagg and Hogun, "usually train after morning meals and until noon—though it is also due to Volstagg's stomach, which complains fiercely and can cripple him worse than any blow when not at least half-full. Hogun and myself are the only among us better off not fighting on full a stomach."

Hogun grumbled his agreement and made his way to one of the sparing circles. The grim man turned to face their group and seemed to wait.

Volstagg looked over at his blonde friend, "I went before you last time."

Fandral raised a perfectly shaped brow, "You and I both know that is not true. Last time I went first, then Sif, and then yourself."

The larger man's eyes glanced at the three young gods, "Why not let one of the Princes go first then?"

"Because that would be cruel," Fandral said as if his answer was the obvious one, "but think of it this way, because she is not here, Sif will be going first next time."

There was a resigned look on Volstagg's face, and the big man just sighed while drawing his axe and stepped into the sparing circle with Hogun. There was no signal, nothing to indicate that the two opponents were ready, but suddenly Volstagg swung his weapon with a loud battle cry and Hogun's mace was ready to deflect the blow.

The mace and axe met many more times beating out an ancient rhythm. Volstagg's mighty swings were powered by his great strength while Hogun's mace countered with precise and efficient movements. Hogun had strength but he used it to turn each hammering strike from the axe into a glancing blow before aiming for the now exposed areas in Volstagg's defense. Hogan, just like any good warrior, was not a stationary target; he moved his body with his strikes, twisting and turning to grant the maximum force into each accurate attack. This fight was the embodiment of Power vs. Precision and it was awe-inspiring.

The finish to the fight came quickly. The larger man's overhead swing had caused his partner to block the attack with his weapon. Volstagg's height and weight advantage made it easy for him to bear down on his adversary, forcing Hogun to use all of his strength to make sure the axe didn't cleave his skull in two. The black haired warrior should have yielded at that point but instead he locked his mace with the axe and allowed the force behind his partner's attack to push him backward and send them both toward the ground. Hogun brought his legs up using the momentum to propel Volstagg through the air and onto his back knocking the air out of the larger man. The smaller man flipped over his winded challenger and the positions were reversed with Volstagg having to exert enough power to keep his own axe from harming him. Hogun used his legs to pin his opponent and never let up until Volstagg yielded.

"For a moment there, I was certain thou hadst him," Fandral reassured his redheaded friend with a pat on the shoulder when he made it back to the rest of the group, "It does seem to be my turn, wish me luck."

Again the fight started without warning, but it did last longer. Fandral fought with his rapier and his movements were swift and exact as he parried and thrust. The two men were unevenly matched in strength; Hogun was strong and efficiency while the blonde's greatest strength lay in his flexibility as he practically danced out of the way of the darker man's attacks.

Neo was watching intently as the older men sparred and his mind studied the moves and techniques so he could practice them later. Jormungandr who was standing on his right seemed to be doing the same while on his left Fenrir let out a bored huff.

The wolf leaned closer to his cousin, "Tell me again, why exactly are we watching three old dudes beat each other up?"

"I'm not done with my training," the youngest god answered, "so it would be stupid to pass up this opportunity. Besides, you and Jormungandr have been helping me, but you were chained to a mountain for centuries. Do you even have proper training?"

"Maaan, I'm really starting to hate it when you're right," the god whined, forcefully dismissing the mention of his imprisonment.

"Do not forget that there are times when proper training cannot beat instinct," Jormungandr informed.

"But, training helps you hone your instincts as much as it teaches technique and encourages muscle memory," Neo added.

Jormungandr nodded once in agreement before focusing back on the two warriors, "So which one will help to win this fight?"

The young god answered quickly; after all he had already pondered the question several times in the past and had come up with an answer, "Both…or at least a good mixture of the two. When you're too focused on technique you think more about your own movements than your opponent, but those who let their instinct completely guide them usually have sloppy and predictable movements."

A heavy hand landed on Neo's shoulder and gave a friendly squeeze, "It seems you have learned much already, young Prince. 'Tis no wonder why Thor is so proud of his heir."

The green-eyed teen was graced with a large grin from Volstagg when he glanced at the man behind him. Neo denied that he could feel a heat rising in his cheeks as he looked away, "Thank you."

"Shall we start then?" Fandral smiled jovially from his spot on the ground with Hogun's mace at his throat.

After several bouts of hand-to-hand with each other and the three older warriors, it was decided that the young princes would gain more if given lessens from all three of the older warriors.

"The knowledge gained in training would be equivalent to the time spent on it, and yet we do not know for how long you will be staying," the blonde warrior pointed out, "We would do well to have such information before beginning."

"I was planning to go back to Camp Half-Blood before the kids at the Institute returned from vacation so I wasn't taking up room, even if Charles did invite us to stay. Since I'm not too excited about returning to Camp but I need to, I wouldn't mind spending a month or two here before spending the rest of my time there," the green-eyed teen was in deep thought, "I don't need to go back since I always carry my stuff with me, but I need a day to let Tony, James and Phil know that I will be gone for a while. So the best case scenario, and if nothing suddenly comes up, I should be able to start training the day after tomorrow and for the next two months."

Fenrir shrugged, "I could probably stay for that long," and then he looked over at Jormungandr who looked hesitant but nodded, "but no longer than two months."

"Excellent, now I must agree with Volstagg's stomach," there was a comically loud growl from the redheads direction, "…it is time for the noon meal. Come, let us find our friends."

During lunch they shared the news that the three princes would stay for the next two months, after Neo took his trip back to Midgard. Elric had been a presence at the edges of the group during the meal, but once everyone was finished he stepped forward and leaned over to speak to Neo, "I believe it would be wise to leave soon, Master, as it would be better to spend the rest of today and most of tomorrow with your mates."

"Way ahead of you buddy," the god said before Argyros flew into the hall to land on his shoulder and Zoul stepped from the shadows. Then he spoke to the rest of his companions, "I'll just be off then, should be back tomorrow night in time to get some sleep before training."

There was a round of goodbyes and a few friendly pats on the back as everyone left to go their separate ways. The two sons of Loki went off to spend some time with their father and Neo chose to use his link to Eternia and travel to the Citadel before making his way to Xavier's school.

In the Citadel, the young god was greeted by his servants as he passed by and when he made his way outside a car was waiting for him. Argyros took flight while Zoul and Elric rode in the car. The trip was as crazy short as usual when they took one of Neo's personal vehicles, and he still wondered if it was some kind of magic.

The school had already started afternoon classes before they arrived, and James was teaching his class, so Neo headed to the Rec room while Elric excused himself to the kitchen to make tea.

The raven haired man curled up on an overstuffed chair and pulled out his phone to check his messages. Tony had texted him a picture of a schematic for a spaceship already dubbed the "S.S. Stark" and the god rolled his eyes in amusement. He continued to search his inbox and found a text from an unknown number. When he opened it there was a picture of Tony standing next to his work bench after whatever was on the work bench had caught fire, the comment under the image read, "While Mr. Stark has not managed to burn down the house yet, he does seem to be making a valiant effort. Jarvis."

Neo laughed and then added Jarvis to his contact list before texting the A.I. back.

*How's it going now, J? – N*

*Better, sir. Since Mr. Stark's latest venture into pyrotechnics, he has acquired a new maid. I was told that you are already acquainted with Ms. Banafrit. Things calmed down after Dummy showed her how to use the fire extinguisher, after that Ms. Banafrit seemed all too happy to put out the fires. I think I would be correct in saying she takes an unholy amount of pleasure out of the fire extinguisher and has even nicknamed it 'Vengence' – J*

*Oh…wow…I guess that's good news. Just go easy on her Jarvis. She was killed in a fire in her previous life. – N*

*I suppose that does make sense. – J*

The god smiled at that response, *You're really accepting for an Artificial Intelligence. Sorry if that sounds rude. – N*

*Not rude, sir. You are right, and I am aware that my time working with Mr. Stark has granted me an awareness and intelligence that is more human than people are used to. While I am not aware of possessing human emotions, yet, I can understand other living beings to a point of being sympathetic. An understanding that leads me to believe there might have been another reason for you to suddenly begin correspondence. Was there something I could help you with, sir? – J*

*No, I just wanted to let you know that I'll be over tomorrow, but don't tell Tony yet I want it to be a surprise. – N*

*Of course, sir. I look forward to seeing you. Have a good day. – J*

*See you soon, J. - N*

Neo went back and pulled up his conversation with Tony.

*So…where are we going to fly your new spaceship? – N*

The billionaire must not have been too busy because the reply came a minute later, *Anywhere you want, Beautiful. – T*

*Okay, sounds great, we can leave right after you get done flame proofing it. – N*

*Of course, I was planning to integrate a fire extinguishing system to the entire ship, increase the hull's integrity and invent energy shields to deflect solar flares. Remind me to tell you about the last group that went into space and got hit with a solar flare. When I'm done, we'll be able to christen the Captain's sleeping quarters and join the space equivalent of the mile-high club. – T*

Neo laughed; *That will have to wait a little longer, love. – N*

*I know, and I can wait, for what feels like the first time in my life I'm willing to wait as long as it takes. – T*

There was an elated grin on Neo's face that wouldn't leave, *Chivalry becomes you, Tony. Thank you. How is work going? Is Pepper still forcing you into going to your meetings? – N*

*Constantly, but even Pepper knows when to let up before we both burn out. She graciously gave me the rest of the week to myself, so I've been updating the armor and going over possible fuels to power those energy shields I mentioned. Now enough about the everyday stuff, tell me what it's like on a different planet? – T*

The question prompted Neo to go over what had happened the last two and a half days and they texted back and forth for the next half-hour until Tony seemed to make a breakthrough in his design and his texts arrived slower. Finally, the billionaire apologized to his boyfriend, explained that he had something he was about to get caught up in, and said goodbye.

After he said goodbye to Tony, Elric came in with the tea set and the teen sat enjoying the silence. It was quiet in the Rec room and Neo felt himself fall into a near trance as he let his mind wonder. Lingering at the edge of his consciousness were the bonds connecting him to his mates and them to each other; he curiously tested the connection and let the emotions of his mates wash over him. First and because of his close proximity, he felt James' slight annoyance, fond exasperation and pride, which was most likely aimed at his students; the god could also tell that the mutant was aware he was in the mansion by the barely suppressed anticipation. Tony was all focused excitement as he worked on his latest project. And last was Phil, who exuded confidence, slight boredom, and weary acceptance.

The young god had kept his eye on the wall clock, and at 11:45 pm Neo was on his forth cup of tea when the students started getting out of their classes for lunch. The feeling of anticipation from James went up and Neo could tell he was heading towards the Rec room.

Feeling playful, Neo set his tea aside and sent it back to the kitchen before leaving the Rec room and heading in the opposite direction James was coming from. Instead of heading directly to the dining room for lunch, he went up to James room once the door was closed behind him he walked through the door to the bathroom and then apparated into the kitchen. He only paused in the kitchen long enough to ask Ororo if she wouldn't mind Elric packing up a lunch for two. She gave him a curious look but nodded, and Elric was quick to start packing food away in a picnic basket.

A few seconds later he entered the dining room and made his way to the instructors table. "Charles, Erik," he greeted, as he gave a slightly teasing kiss to the former man's bald head and then a peck to the later man's cheek. Erik had been like a brother during the War, still was in fact, and now Charles felt like his brother-in-law so he didn't have any qualms about being affectionate toward the two older men. "So Charles, am I right in remembering that James doesn't have any classes after lunch today?"

The telepath smiled knowingly, "Yes, you are correct."

"…so you wouldn't mind if I were to steal him away for the next few hours?" he was almost certain he knew the answer but he was being polite.

Charles released a small chuckle before he answered, "Not at all. Enjoy your afternoon."

"Be back later," the young god announced before apparating to the garage. Neo opened the metal garage door, wheeled James motorcycle out to the drive, then summoning Sirius' motorcycle out of his locket and placed it next to James' before enlarging it before he sat on the leather seat and waited.

 ***Break***

While sitting in the garage with his auto class, James' nose had caught a whiff of his mate's scent over the smell of oil and metal. It was a miracle that he was able to finish the class instead of hunting down the owner of that scent and burying his nose deep in that arousing fragrance. As soon as the class was over James was on the prowl. He tracked the smell to the Rec room where it lingered and he knew his mate had been there for a while, but he didn't see him. The trail lead up to the bedrooms and right into his room, however the scent wasn't strong and he knew without looking that Neo wasn't inside anymore.

He huffed in amusement as he realized that the young god had purposefully lead him to the room, however he wasn't knew to the Hunt and his sense of smell was better than most gave him credit for. After inhaling deeply, James got a tantalizing fresh scent coming from the ground floor and tracked it into the dining room. Chuck had just smiled at him and said that Neo was in the garage.

Elric had fallen into step with the feral mutant as they headed for the garage. Once there they found Neo waiting outside for them.

"What are you up to, Darlin'?" the gruff man asked when he was close enough to stand between the two bikes and wrap his arms around the green-eyed god.

There was a pause while Neo basked in the other man's warmth and love, "I want to go for a ride and eat lunch with you on the beach."

The gruff man pulled away to look the other in the eyes, "That sounds like a good idea to me," James agreed before pressing his lips to his mates.

Elric handed over the basket, which Neo shrunk and placed in his jacket pocket. Then the two men started up the motorcycles and left. They took the scenic route and just enjoyed the ride, as it was just the two of them spending time together.

It took almost two hours to get to the beach but neither of them complained. James showed Neo the spot that the kids usually staked out when they took a trip to the water, and the two men sat next to each other in the shade of the Cliffside with their bare toes digging into the sand as they ate.

Once the food was gone, Neo sorted the containers into the basket and put it back into his pocket. The calm lapping of the waves and hypnotic push and pull of the ocean was starting to put him to sleep. With a full belly and peaceful surroundings, Neo breathed a contented sigh and rested his head on James shoulder, "This is great, and there are only two things that I can think of to make this even better," he felt more than heard the inquisitive hum that vibrated through the blue-eyed mutant's chest, "Their names are Tony and Phil."

James barked a laugh and drew his mate in with an arm around his waist, "Then why aren't they here?"

"Tony's busy. He had one of his breakthroughs, so I was going to wait until tomorrow to see him. And Phil (*sigh*) is complicated. He said he would need time and I understand that, but he's still keeping me at arm's length and it's making it hard to get to know him. There are moments that I feel like we might be getting somewhere and then he pulls away. I can't always tell if he wants me around or not."

"Maybe he just hasn't figured out that he _can_ have you around, that it's alright to want someone else and to need them," James said thoughtfully, "People I work with avoid emotional attachments because of the job. Phil seems to have been in the spy business for a while now, and it's likely that he hasn't let anyone close in a long time. Means he's built up barriers between himself and the rest of the world. He's got a lot of walls to go breaking down to let you in, Darlin', and you just need to be there when he's ready. The way things are going, I'm sure it won't take him too long," he finished with a grin on his face and a kiss to Neo's raven locks.

"It might have to wait," the god confessed, "After tomorrow I'll be gone for the next two months, and when I get back I'll be spending my time at Camp Half-Blood."

"Then I say we sit here and enjoy the time we have," he pulled Neo into his lap and leaned back to let the young god rest against his chest.

Neo nuzzled into the man's neck, "That's a brilliant idea, love."

They continued to sit in silence as Neo dozed. When the breeze started getting chilly James nudged his sleepy companion and they headed back to the mansion. When it was time to head to bed that night, Neo fell into James arms and they went to sleep with Zoul curled up at their feet.

 ***Break***

Neo was pissed; that morning he had woken up with James and eaten a lovely breakfast Elric made; but now here he is at Stark Industries, after showing up at Tony's Malibu house to find out the billionaire wasn't there because Pepper had scheduled a last minute meeting with the managers for that morning. So to recap, Tony was at work…Neo was pissed…and he was ready to let Pepper know how much he didn't appreciate her lying to Tony about his days off.

"I'm sorry, sir," the cute little blonde woman, who didn't look much older than him, started to say from her place behind the reception desk as he walked by, "they're having a meeting in there."

"Yes, and it looks like I was the last to know," Neo ground out between clenched teeth. His anger wasn't directed toward Tony or Pepper, and it wasn't because he had gone all the way to the west coast only to go back to the Stark Industries in New York; he was annoyed because it had taken him an hour to pass through security and everyone between the ground floor and the twelfth floor meeting room had tried to stop him, and he had taken the elevator!

He had just enough reservation to not blast the offensive doors blocking him from Tony off their hinges, instead the heavy double doors shot open when he heaved his weight against them and banged into the walls startling the people in the room.

"Oh, hey Honey," Tony said as soon as he recognized who was standing in the doorway, "I didn't know you were back already."

"It was a surprise, but I thought you said you wouldn't be working for the rest of the week?" the green-eyed man said as he made his way over to his billionaire boyfriend.

For a second the genius' face was blank before he gave a charming smile and pointed his finger at his Personal Assistant, "Pepper did it," he sing-songed.

"Tony, that was completely childish," said woman chided her boss, "I suggested the meeting to you last night, and you said to schedule it for this morning."

"Yes, but you asked me while I was in the middle of something. You should know better than to let me decide things when I'm distracted, Pepper," he said as if it was obvious.

She pursed he lips together as if trying to stop herself from saying anything and then put on a polite smile, "You're absolutely right, Mr. Stark. Next time I will remember to get your full attention."

Neo laughed, "I'm pretty sure that was a hidden threat to whack you on the head next time or worse…tell Jarvis to turn the music off."

The unapologetic smile was answer enough and the young god raised his hand into the air were Pepper met it with her own hand. Okay, so he wasn't that mad at her anymore.

A shiver ran down Tony's spine at the show of solidarity between his assistant and boyfriend. "Hey, you two can't gang up on me. It's against the friend/boyfriend code or something," the billionaire complained.

"Really? I didn't read that section," Pepper denied teasingly.

Neo draped his arms around the two and lowered his voice conspiratorially, "So," he said in a husky purr while an impish grin curled his lips, "have I officially killed this meeting and now I can throw Tony over my shoulder like a cave man and cart him off to some unknown location?"

"Yes, please," Tony said immediately.

Both men turned to the redheaded woman and she shook her head in exasperation, "Yes, fine, this meeting was over anyway, just don't turn your phone off and don't ignore me when I call you," she gave her boss a small glare until he nodded his head.

"Alright, let's go-Oh!" Tony's last word blended into an exclamation as Neo actually threw Tony over his shoulder.

The billionaire laughed like a maniac as the god carted him out the door. Tony had developed a slight liking for the times when Neo showed how strong he was. He still chuckled about the time Neo had carried Tony out of the garage to the bedroom so the older man would get some sleep; and he definitely enjoyed Neo being able to effortlessly pick him up off the stool and set him back down on the work bench for a better angle while they kissed. Neo was strong and could easily over power Tony but the billionaire was one hundred percent certain that the god would never hurt him, and as crazy as it sounded, it actually helped the genius feel more in control.

They made it out to the car and were on the road quickly. Neo threaded his fingers with Tony's right hand and smoothed the slightly scarred knuckles with his thumb.

"Something came up," Neo began, "I was invited to extend my visit to Asgard for a couple of months, and after that I'll be spending some time in New York for training."

"So it will be a while before I can see you again," Tony summarized.

"Only a little while, once I get back from Asgard we can spend as much time as you want together," the god explained quickly, "but I can refuse the invitation..."

"No, they're your family," Tony quickly said while he gave Neo's hand a gentle squeeze, "besides two months isn't that long, and I'll probably be busy with the company. This way I won't feel bad about having to work so much because you'll have your own things going on."

Using his free hand, Neo brushed the backs of his fingers against the other's jaw and smiled "Not too busy, I want to celebrate the holidays with you." Neo brought his lips closer to his mate's ear and spoke softly, "Halloween," he pressed his lips to Tony's pulse, "Christmas," he continued and kissed a stubbled cheek before brushing his mouth teasingly against the other man's lips, "and New Year's," he finished with a kiss that evolved into a slow meshing of lips and tongues.

There was a burning passion in the kiss that would usually have Tony moving toward a bedroom at a frenzied pace, but the kiss was even better because it was slow, almost tortuously slow. He didn't feel like he needed to rush things because as soon as their lips touched it felt like they had all the time in the world.

Tony tried to pull Neo closer and the god responded by swinging a leg to straddle the blue-eyed man's lap. Tony's right hand was still entwined with Neo's, but his left hand found its way under the god's shirt to touch warm skin as he gripped the god's hip in a possessive hold. The two melted into each other and would have drowned in ecstasy, but Neo pulled back from his mate's panting lips and pressed his forehead against Tony's.

"I love you," the god whispered quietly, "don't ever forget that, even when I'm not around."

Tony laughed breathily, "I love you too," he said before kissing the green-eyed man again.

The feeling of the car stopping caused them to break apart a minute later. Outside the window, Tony saw an inconspicuous office building with men and women in suits coming and going, "I have to admit that this is not as private as I would have liked. Where are we?"

"The New York base of the top secret spy group I founded and run," Neo said nonchalantly as he opened the door.

An hour and three basement floors later, Tony felt like Alice after she fell down the rabbit hole. All of the strange things that he had already seen didn't stop him from staring at the little girl that walked by; she almost appeared normal in her yellow sun dress except for the small white horns growing from her forehead that Tony couldn't seem to look away from until she was out of sight. Once the girl was gone the billionaire turned back to face the direction Neo and he had been walking and found that he had almost walked into something. Once he recognized the creature standing in front of him, the man smiled.

Not three feet away from Tony was a Unicorn, with the classic white coat and spiral horn growing from its head. The mythical creature known for its shy nature did something uncharacteristic and stepped closer to the human. His large head dipped down and he brought his nose to the man's chest were he drew in a breath and quickly breathed out. The Unicorn shook his head and nickered in distress.

"Whoa, easy there," Neo tried to placate the animal, but his voice was ruff and he wore an expression between shock and fear.

The Unicorn didn't calm and this time produced a sharper cry followed by more disconcerting neighs as it pawed the ground. Before Tony's eyes, Neo's face grew more worried as he brow knit and his frown deepened. The blue-eyed man was just about to ask his boyfriend what was wrong until he was distracted by a woman in a suit who had shown up to lead the distressed animal away. He looked back to the god when he felt the others warm hand slip into his and latch on with a firm but gentle hold.

"What is it, Gorgeous, you're making me nervous here," Tony uttered in concern.

"He said that you weren't well," the god's voice was choked and almost a whisper, and the genius was alarmed to see fear in the younger's eyes.

Neo's attitude was scaring Tony and the man responded in the way he usually did in those situations, he plastered on a grin and cracked a joke, "I'm pretty sure having a hole in my chest isn't very healthy, but I've already solved that problem." The genius brought his hand up and tapped the Arc reactor.

Neo forced himself to smile back but both men knew it was fake, "Right, but promise me you'll tell me if you start feeling ill."

"You're as bad as Rhodey, I feel fine. There's no need to act like a mother hen, unless this is your way of asking to play my nurse," he teased while wiggling his eyebrows. This time his distraction worked and the god laughed while shaking his head.

"I'd actually make you take your medicine," the younger man replied.

"Yeah, I would have to fight you on that."

Neo's lips curled into a devilish smirk as he brought his arms around Tony's shoulders and lazily played with the genius' dark hair, "Oh, I don't think you would."

The billionaire's expression changed to a look of intrigued surprise, "Really? Because I'm good at not taking my medicine and, like everything else, I've perfected it over time."

"You would," he said with certainty, "because when I'm the nurse, all my good patients get a special treat," he brushed his lips lightly against the other man's mouth before dropping his voice to a whisper, "you would be good for me then, wouldn't you, love?"

Tony had to swallow hard before he could talk in a normal tone, "I guess I can think about it."

Neo smiled before kissing his mate slowly, and tried not to let the worry he still felt show. The ill fortune from the Unicorn had been burned into his brain and the god wouldn't dare ignore it, something was wrong with his mate, the creature had said that Tony was dying. Still, he couldn't let Tony know that he was concerned, because he knew the man would feel terrible for worrying the god. That was just how Tony worked; hiding his problems so that strangers wouldn't judge him and his friends wouldn't worry about him.

Pulling back from the kiss, they continued the tour while pointedly avoiding the incident with the magical creature but it lingered in the back of their minds.

The two men left before noon to grab lunch, and while they were eating Tony received a call from Pepper, who was begging him to come back to the office because she needed him for another meeting. After a long goodbye, Tony left and Neo promised he would call when he got the chance.

The god watched Tony walk into Stark Industries before pulling out his phone and typing out a text.

*Do you have a minute? I'm close to your office. If you're there I could stop by. – N*

The reply came a minute later, *I'm at the office, but things are a little busy here. – P*

"I had a feeling," the god mumbled before getting back into the vehicle which started up and headed back to Charles home.

*I understand. I wanted to see you before I left but I can wait until I get back. – N*

The message was quick, *Back from where? – P*

The god could feel the man's curiosity at the edges of his consciousness.

*Not anywhere you've been, and not anywhere you can go. – N*

He knew that he hadn't given the man a real answer, but part of him was annoyed—hurt—that all his absence warranted out of Phil was curiosity. Now he wondered if that curiosity, and need to know everyone's secret, was the only reason the agent even spoke to him.

No, he knew that wasn't true, but the doubt wouldn't go away, and Phil keeping him at arm's length wasn't lessening that uncertainty.

*I'm curious…do you want to see me? Forget about if you can or can't, I need to know if you WANT to. – N*

*Yes. – P* While the reply was only one word it had taken several minutes for it to arrive, and with that one word a small amount of doubt disappeared.

*Then, we agree. I'll be there soon. – N*

Neo felt the vehicle make a quick U-turn before his message was even done sending. The car came to a stop outside of SHIELD a short time later and Neo quickly went inside.

Not bothering to use magic to disillusion himself, he walked right past the guards who became alert.

"Hey," the large redheaded guard called out, "I need to see your security clearance or I'll have to ask you to leave."

A predatory smile that was all teeth spread across the god's face, as he turned back to the guard that was as tall as Neo but looked twice as big, "I would love to see you try, mate."

The man glared and reached to take the intruder by the arm, but he wasn't ready for the strength of the stranger as his wrist was grabbed and he was flung over the man's shoulder in a classic Judo throw. On impact with the ground, all of the air in the redhead's lungs was pushed out.

Neo had released the man as he headed toward the ground and the guard had been sent sliding across the floor.

"Maybe, I should have suggested we meet somewhere else," a voice said from behind the god.

Neo looked to see Phil and without hesitation he walked up to the man and hugged him. He let go and took a step back after a couple of seconds, before giving the agent a bright grin, "We were just having a little discussion, dear. These men seem to be under the impression that I'm not welcome, and I politely corrected their assumption."

"Thank you agents, I can take it from here," Phil told the security men, then addressed Neo, "Would you prefer to take a walk or head back up to my office?"

"Whichever one is better for you."

Blue eyes looked at the agent that was still on his knees trying to regain his breathing, "I could use a little fresh air."

Phil led them out of the building and they headed down the sidewalk. It was quiet between them as they walked but Phil noticed Neo fidgeting out of the corner of his eye. The god's hand kept drifting toward the agent's but then he would pull back before they touched. Finally, Phil took the green-eyed man's hand before it could retreat for the fifth time.

Neo smiled shyly, "Sorry," he said quietly.

"Why?"

"I noticed that you don't like PDA," the god explained.

Phil frowned, "No, it's fine, and I'm sorry if I made you think that."

"I guess we're both getting used to this relationship," the god commented, "It is a little different, with Tony we were friends for a month before we admitted we were attracted to each other, and with James it was 'animal magnetism'. The first time I met you, I thought you were charming for a government agent. The magic shield confused me, I kept feeling a pull each time I saw you but I didn't understand, until New Mexico. It was like I was falling in love with you slowly and then all at once."

"I remember the first time I saw you, I had a hard time focusing on my mission because I couldn't keep my eyes off of you. In Malibu you took my breath away at the gala and I got distracted, again," Phil let out a reluctant laugh, "and in New Mexico I was probably more excited to see you than I should have been. From the first day I laid eyes on you, you have intrigued me, and you've never stopped."

The agent stopped and made eye contact with the younger man before he spoke, "I _want_ to see you, Neo. I want to be in a relationship with you, to date, to spend time together, to hold hands and kiss in public, but I constantly worry that I'm putting you in danger. In my line of work I've made a lot of enemies, some that are dangerous enough that I won't hesitate to shoot them if they come anywhere near you," Phil said quietly, then he gently squeezed the god's hand, "I _want_ you, don't doubt that."

"I won't, not anymore," the god announced with a smile, "Still, you have got to get over this whole 'damsel-in-distress' image you have of me. I get that your job is dangerous but my _life_ is dangerous, people have been trying to kill me since before I was born. I'm just as worried about my enemies hurting the people I care about, but it's that fear that drives me to take them down. I'm not saying, 'don't worry', because I'll be the first to admit that I am a giant trouble magnet, but I've learned how to get myself out of trouble.

"For all the reasons you have on why I shouldn't date you, there are just as many on why you shouldn't date me, so let's look at it this way—us being together is the easiest way to make sure I stay safe, because with a handsome spy willing to shoot anyone or anything that tries to harm me, well I feel safe already," Neo wiggled his brows in a playful manner that drew a reluctant smile from the blue-eyed man.

After their discussion, the two silently turned back toward the SHIELD HQ, it was quiet between them but this time the silence was comfortable as they walked and held hands. Once at the glass doors to the building, Phil used their connected hands to pull Neo closer to him and sealed their lips together in a kiss that lingered until they had to pull back for breath.

"I forgot to ask when you'll be back," Phil said quietly.

"I'll be in Asgard for two months," the god admitted.

The corners of the agent's lips twitched down before he was able to give a small smile and leaned in for another kiss, "One for the road." Then he claiming the god's lips for a deeper kiss as he embraced the younger man, arms holding each other close, and Phil didn't pull back until their tastes were mingled on his tongue, "and one more until you get back."

Neo smiled, "I'll miss you."

"I'll be here when you get back," he said then seemed to laugh at an inside joke, "Well, maybe not _here_ , but at least I'll be on the planet."

They laughed but neither made a move to leave. Finally, Neo spoke again, "You need to go inside or I'll never leave."

Phil shrugged, "It's a little hard to go back inside when I know you're leaving."

The god took in a deep breath and slowly pulled back, "See you soon."

Reluctantly, Phil let the other's hand slip from his grip before taking a half-step toward the door, "I'll see you in two months."

They continued in opposite directions until Phil was inside and Neo had gotten back in the car.

Phil raised his hand when he saw Neo waving at him from the window and didn't lower it until the car was out of site. He turned to go back to his office but stopped in his tracks when he saw who was standing in front of him.

"Director," he said politely to the man that was giving him a critical once over.

"This isn't going to be a problem is it?" the dark man asked meaningfully.

"I don't see it becoming a problem, sir."

"It better not," he growled before walking away, he didn't care that he was practically shouting as he continued to speak over his shoulder, "and tell your little boy-toy, I'll throw him in one of the underground cells if he attacks my agents again."

With equal volume Phil called out to his boss, "Yes sir, I'll let him know he needs to take it easy in the bedroom from now on."

Fury froze, before slowly turning around to look at his friend, then released a bark of laughter and kept walking away.

It goes without saying that being friends as long as Nick and Phil have been, gave them a certain amount of insight into what the other was thinking. 'Boy-toy' might have been a little jibe at Neo's age but it was also Fury's acknowledgement that the younger man and his friend were together. And Phil's ability to joke about it was his own way of saying that he appreciated his friends understanding, while speaking openly let Nick know that he was serious about his relationship with Neo Thorson.

For the agents that had overheard the exchange between the Director and Senior Agent, it confirmed some of the rumors going around and started even more that spread like wildfire.

 ***Break***

Harry took a 'detour' back to Malibu to check on Banafrit. When he arrived the servant greeted him at the door with a polite "Greetings, my Pharaoh, how may I serve you?"

Greeting the cat-woman in returned, he took a minute to look at her appearance. Her tan face was human and very pretty with Egyptian features, and her eyes were still soft lavender. She wore a charcoal grey modern maid uniform that had an inch high collar, short sleeves and a skirt that stopped at her knees, but it seemed comfortable and looked like it gave full-range of movement.

"I came by to see how you were doing," Neo commented as he walked down to Tony's workshop, "and to fix anything that might have melted."

"I have cleaned the marks but your Queen instructed me to dispose of anything damaged beyond repair," the cat-woman replied, "however this one," she gestured to Tony's workbench, "is not to be thrown out and has been marred."

Taking a closer look, Neo found a spot in the middle of the bench where fire had warped the metal. Harry grinned and pulled out his phone to flip through the messages he had received and found the picture of the fire Tony had started and that was when he noticed it was the same table.

Neo laughed and placed his phone on Tony's electric work table, but missed when the electronics of the table synced wirelessly with his phone and the screen flashed as it started downloading something.

He quickly cleared off the damaged area of the bench and repaired the metal. With his task done, Neo glanced around and saw the projects Tony had been working on before, the Iron Man armor standing in the corner, and a new set of schematics on the computer screens.

He wasn't a genius but he could tell that the moving 3D model of what looked like the Iron Man was slowly folding and unfolding into a flat box.

"What are you and Tony up to this time, Jarvis?"

The electronic butler was quick to answer, "Mr. Stark has remarked that the assembly of the armor is slow, especially in an emergency, and that it would be a marked improvement if he were able to take the armor with him wherever necessary. That was the though behind the design for the Mark V."

"Tony said he would start carrying around his armor when we leave the house, so that really is folding up into a suitcase, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir, Mr. Stark is currently working out the requirements necessary for the armor to fully cover the body while still remaining lightweight enough to carry."

The god let out a disbelieving huff, "Wow, you two are amazing."

"Thank you for the compliment, sir, I will be sure to share it with Mr. Stark."

"Well, it looks like things are good here, so I'll leave you and Banafrit to take care of Tony. Keep a close eye on him. I'll be gone for a while and I'm hoping you can keep him distracted while I'm gone, but not too distracted. Okay, Jarvis?"

"Of course, sir, and I will be awaiting your return," Jarvis finished and there was a hint of emotion in the sound of his voice.

"I'll miss you too, J, see you later," the god said as he turned to the door.

"Wait, sir, you seem to be forgetting your phone," the A.I. said.

Neo retrieved his phone with a small tisk, "Can't forget this. Thanks, Jarvis, see you soon. Night!" his last words were said as he opened the door.

"Good night, sir," the reply came just before the doors closed behind the god.

 ***Break***

Neo said his final farewells to everyone at the Institute, including a long goodbye to James, before Death whisked him away and back to Asgard.

Elric was somehow waiting for him as he appeared outside the royal dining hall. He was greeted with a firm pat on the back by Thor and warm smiles from Frigga, Loki, Jormungandr, and Fenrir; and a less warm but none-the-less present smile from Odin.

During Neo's time on Asgard he had witnessed Odin having moments were he shook in a silent rage, but the older god also appeared to be spending a lot of time thinking. Neo wanted to hope that Odin's thinking would help, but he knew that Death was planning to leave the King a mute for eternity if he didn't meet her standards.

After dinner Neo watched as Jormungandr and Fenrir followed their father to his chambers. The teen figured that it would be better to let them catch-up without him acting like a third wheel, and since Thor was still talking with the Warriors Three and Sif, he decided to head to his own room. Fandral had suggested he get a goodnight's sleep before they started training in the morning and he was taking the man's advice.

Smiling at the guards outside his door he walked inside. The teen liked the openness of the room and enjoyed the view from the balcony. Elric walked into the bathroom and the sound of running water came shortly after.

Elric made his sudden increase in alertness and protectiveness seem natural but Neo had noticed a difference. The spirit had refused to let any of the maids in the room since they arrived and was very cautious of what the young god ate and drank. At the feasts Elric only allowed Neo to eat what had been set out for everyone, and didn't let him accept anything from the other servants, not even a napkin!

The spirit returned and began helping his master prepare for the bath he had drawn, "I thought you might be in the mood for a bath. It should help you relax, Master."

Neo looked at the servant as the spirit bent to gather his boots and set them at the foot of the bed, "What's been bothering you?"

Golden eyes looked at the god as Elric took Neo's jacket to hang up, "I cannot be assured of your safety around the court."

"But why are you acting different here, then you do on Earth?"

Elric smirked, "As your servant it is my duty to provide for you. What kind of butler would I be, if I alone could not take care of my master's needs?"

Neo rolled his eyes and stripped out of the last of his clothes as he entered the bathroom, "So, you're trying to prove that you are the only servant I need?" He easily sunk down into the large warm bath and rested his head on the side, "And all this pampering is you being territorial?"

"In a way," a smug tone in the statement made the young god chuckle, "Now, please sit up, Master," the spirit directed as he knelled behind the god and began to wash his back with something that smelled like honey. By the time Neo was ready to get out of the bath; both the god and spirit seemed more relaxed.

Neo got dressed in his normal sleep pants and a t-shirt and languidly crawled into the soft-as-a-cloud bed. Without someone next to him, the young god was just starting to feel lonely but then Zoul jumped up onto the bed and curled into his side. When Neo looked around the room again he saw Argyros resting on a perch near the balcony and Elric appeared to be reading in the suites small living room area. Neo curled his arm around the shadow wolf, and when Elric started to hum an unfamiliar tune he quickly drifted off to sleep.

 ***Break – Two Month Later***

"It's good to be back on Earth," Neo commented as he stood on Half-Blood Hill, while the scents of pine and delicious strawberries mixed in the air.

His looks hadn't changed in the two months on Asgard, but there was a visible difference in the way he carried himself. There was more confidence in his posture and sureness in his step, and he practically radiated power.

On Asgard, his training had been hard but every proud smile from his father made Neo want to push himself 'just a little more' every time, and by the end Thor had replaced Volstagg as Neo's sparring partner. Fandral gave him lessons in swordsmanship and accuracy which he paired with flexibility training, while Hogun taught him how to using an opponent's strength against them and how to use speed to his advantage.

Jormungandr and Fenrir joined him in his fighting lessons and continued training with the Warriors Three and Thor, while Neo was pulled away by Frigga and Loki to study how to tap into his Seiðr magic.

However, his two months in Asgard were not just spent with the Asgardian side of his family. Frigga had sent word to Hermes and Hecate that they were welcome on Asgard, and both Olympians made time for several appearances during Neo's lessons.

Hermes always made it a contest to see how quickly the young god could complete his agility training and he rewarded his son with interesting things that he had collected over the centuries; like the living six-inch-tall wood nymph that liked to comb Neo's hair, and lived inside an oak bead that she threaded a different piece of his hair through every day.

The nymph, Kea, was interesting, she would sing while she combed his hair in the mornings and then tell him stories about people and places she had seen while they ate breakfast. One day during training she had warned him when Fandral tried to sneak up behind him and Neo suddenly found a new reason to like having the nymph around.

Hecate had joined in Neo's magic lessons, and because he could control his Earth magic she taught him about the lesser known things she was affiliated with; including the powers of the crossroads and entrance-ways. One day, when he accidentally linked an archway in the hall to the Elysian Fields, Hecate had proudly announced that he was making excellent progress.

Two months had gone by fast and Neo was amazed at what he had learned, but he left a little sad. Despite Fenrir's earlier refusal, by the time two months had past and Neo was ready to leave, the Sons of Loki had chosen to stay in Asgard with their father. Loki was so happy that his children would be staying, the usually reserved and poised god, couldn't stop smiling and had cried happy tears. Neo couldn't ask them to come back with him, so he said his goodbyes to everyone. When he left Asgard it was with his three servants and a tiny nymph.

"Yeah, it's nice to be home," Kea's voice came from the bead hanging behind his right ear.

He remembered the time that Kea had joined in a phone conversation between Neo and Tony. The genius' sarcasm and charm was met with Kea's sharp wit and friendliness, so they hit it off. After that, the god had to introduce the nymph to his other mates. "You'll get to meet everyone else now, too."

"Master, it seems we have been spotted," the spirit beside him gestured to a tall blonde male, and a younger brunette that was being followed by a Satyr.

Neo smiled back at his brother and friends, "It is nice to be home."

"Neo, long time no see, bro! Where have you been?" Luke hailed, and when the blonde reached the top of the hill he wrapped his brother in a tight hug.

"Here and there, and I can't wait to tell you all about it," was the answer before the god turned to the Son of Poseidon and the Satyr, "Hey, Percy! Hey, Grover! What's going on guys?"

And that last question started a conversation that lasted a while, until Clarisse found them and greeted Neo in her own charming way, "Where have you been, Bolt-breath?"

New smirked at her, "Heaven and Hell, and everywhere in between. Let's go find Remus and Sirius so I can tell you all about it."

The three demigods, teen god, spirit and Satyr headed toward the Big House.

"What about Annabeth?" Percy asked as they walked into the giant barn.

"Don't worry, Annabeth is probably still in the library and you know how she gets if she's interrupted," Luke dismissed, "We'll just have to wait for her to come find us."

It was 5:32 pm on a Saturday, so the campers were supposed to be cleaning the cabins and having free time. The teens and their companions found the two older men in the game room playing what looked suspiciously like Poker with pieces of paper as currency.

"If you lose, that's three more times I can make you wash the clothes, Sirius. Are you sure you want to keep playing?" Remus said casually as he looked at the black haired man over his cards.

The heir of the Black family looked defeated as he threw himself against the back of the couch, "No, I just can't believe I agreed to use chore duties instead of chips."

"Then it would be too much like gambling and set a bad example for the campers," Remus replied innocently.

Sirius sprang up and pointed an accusing finger at the blonde man, "Whatever, you sneaky wolf, you hustled me because you wanted to get out of cleaning. You must have played this game before!"

"Honestly, I haven't," Remus said with a shake of his head, "though I am enjoying myself _immensely_."

Neo cleared his throat to catch the attention of the two men, who froze when they saw him, and then suddenly Sirius sling-shot himself around the couch he had been sitting on and pounced on Neo with a shout of, "Pup, your back!"

After that, Sirius dragged his godson over to the couch and forced him to sit while he demanded that Neo tell him everything he had done while he was gone.

"There is a lot to cover and if I want to finish soon I'll have to talk fast, so no interruptions." Neo said and then he went over everything; Helheim, Asgard, New Mexico, Asgard, Death Realm, New Mexico, Malibu, New York, Death Realm, the past (and everywhere he went while he was there), New York, Malibu, Eternia, New York, Asgard, New York, Malibu, New York and finally Asgard…"and now I'm back."

There was a stunned silence that was only broken when Clarisse let out a sigh and said, "Well shit."

"I second that," Grover said while Percy nodded beside him and raised his hand in agreement.

"Yes, that was an interesting story," the high voice of Kea sounded from the bead.

"Woah! What was that?" Luke said as he jumped to his feet.

"That was Kea. I got her from Dad," he said as he reached up to pull the bead from his hair.

When the god finally held the bead out on his flat palm, the tiny wood nymph stepped out and everyone gazed at her and all her half-a-foot glory. She wore a small white sleeveless gossamer dress that fluttered around her thighs and her curly brown hair cascaded from her head down to her hips.

"Oh my gosh," Clarisse said excitedly and her voice had rose in pitch. Realizing what she had done the demigoddess glanced around and cleared her throat before speaking again, "I mean…whatever."

Luke snickered at the Daughter of Ares, and Clarisse repaid him back punching him in the arm and telling him to, "Shut up!"

"Man," Grover said in awe as he stared at the nymph, "I didn't know there was that level of cuteness. Can you die from an overload of cuteness?" the Satyr seemed to be genuinely concerned about the answer for a second, but he just kept staring.

Kea leaned away from the Satyr and glanced at Neo in concern as if asking 'Is he okay?'

"Dude, stop being creepy," Percy ordered his friend as he elbowed the Satyr.

"Oh, sorry."

"She is adorable," Sirius remarked and he looked questioningly at his godson, "She's a nymph, right? But, I've never seen one so small."

"There are plenty of things you haven't seen, mate," Remus said playfully and avoided the annoyed swipe from his friend.

"I don't know why, but I have always been this way," the nymph explained.

"The answer will come." Chiron's voice startled them. "There is a reason for all things, but I think it would be wiser to wait until after diner to seek them out."

The group looked embarrassed as they got up headed for the door. Chiron side-stepped and let them pass before walking after the campers and teachers. When the centaur caught up to the young god he patted the raven haired teen on the shoulder.

"It is good to see you back in one piece. I hope you are willing to share the tale of your journey with an old horse?"

The god smirked and played with the bead in his hair, "From nine to eleven."

"With the occasional break for training, of course," the centaur joked.

"Of course," the nonchalant tone was ruined when the young god glanced to the centaur and started laughing.

Neo followed his brother and friends over to the Hermes table. Percy and Clarisse turned toward their own tables. Emerald green eyes followed the Son of Poseidon as he left to eat at his table alone.

The Hermes table was overcrowded and the Poseidon table only had one lone camper, not to mention the tables that didn't have any occupants. With the rules being the way they were though, no demigod child could sit at the table of a god that was not their parent. The rules sucked and Neo wasn't having any of it.

Placing a hand on the Hermes table Neo used the gemino curse on a section of the table then did the same with the benches, and conjured chairs at both ends of the table, adding another twelve places to sit.

With that done he turned to the table with its lonely occupant and was soon standing across from Percy.

"Mind if I sit with you?"

Sea green eyes looked up into a pair on glittering emeralds. Percy shrugged, "Uh, no," he said before giving the universal signal that the god could take the seat.

Once the fabric of Neo's jeans touched the wood bench there was a deep rumble of thunder. The noise made everyone around them freeze and go silent, even Percy looked around wide-eyed.

Neo rolled his eyes before he glared up at the sky, "You got something to say? You can stop growling because I've got a mobile right here," he held up the previously mentioned device, "so stop with the petty threats."

Thunder roared again. There was absolute silence, no one in the camp even dared to breathe hard.

Neo sighed, he just wanted to sit with a friend, probably crack a few jokes while wolfing down that grilled chicken he could smell; but no, now he has to be the grown-up and call his own **grandfather** who likes to cause a thunderstorm every time he has a temper tantrum. He realizes that thought might be a little hypocritical, but it's different when Zeus does it **every** time.

He's dialing his father the next second and it doesn't take long for Hermes to pick-up. When his father answers in a voice that it quieter than he normally uses, Neo figures he must be on Olympus and more specifically in the Throne Room.

"Hey Dad, can I speak to him please?" There is a pause, "...because I'm a teenager, I know that when someone is whispering on the phone, it usually means that their parents are in the room. Love you too, Dad." His last sentence was said with a somber tone, like a man marching to the gallows, and it hung heavy in the air. He quickly pulled the phone away from his ear and left it hanging in the air two feet from his head.

The shouting on the other end of the line started almost immediately after that, and the silence made it possible to clearly hear what the man on the phone was saying. Of course, it was Zeus' voice and he was ranting up a storm, figuratively and literally, as the air grew electrified and it smelled like rain.

'If everyone is going to be able to hear the conversation, I might as well put it on speaker,' he thought as he placed the phone down, switched to speaker and started summoning food onto his plate.

"…no right to disrespect those rules!...How dare you put me on speaker?!"

"Well if you had used your polite speaking voice instead of shouting were everyone could hear you anyway, I wouldn't have turned on the speaker," was the answer as Neo grabbed a goblet that began filling itself with bitter cider and he took a sip. "Listen, Granddad, I know you have a problem with me and it doesn't really have anything to do with the rules. I mean, for someone that's been breaking his own rules since history began, being a stickler for them makes you the biggest hypocrite in the Universe. Honestly, if you're not going to be fair and follow your own rules than why should everyone else?"

Instead of yelling, Zues' voice was almost normal except for the deep tone but the sudden rush of wind around them belied his anger, "My rules have kept everyone safe, and create order inside the Camp."

"Except they don't," the teen said matter-of-factly, "before I got here the Hermes cabin was over capacity and kids were sleeping on the floor for two reasons, the first being that Hermes is the only god that welcomes unclaimed campers, and the second is he's the only god that will house the children of the lesser gods who don't have a cabin. When you were designing this little Oasis of yours did you take the lesser gods into account or did you just not give a shit? I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who would like to hear that answer…and F.Y.I. separating teenagers into groups with common traits is not a good idea, I should know. If this keeps up we'll need psychologists in here pronto, because this is a breeding ground for teenagers with abandonment and rage issues, who consider themselves lucky if they live long enough to develop PTSD. This camp might be full of demigods, and there might be monsters out there but every child needs to know they are loved as much as they are safe."

"Everything the gods do is for a reason and is not for you to question. The Camp is for the protection of the gods' mortal offspring."

"Do you know why the demigods come here?" Neo suddenly asked as his eyes scanned the faces of the people around him, "It's a little bit about love and a little bit about respect, but mostly it's just fear…fear for their lives, and fear of you."

"This coming from the hero who returned the lightning bolt," the god inquired smugly.

"Yeah, no, that's not what happened. I left camp at the same time as the quest for purely selfish reasons. I wanted to save my brother and I could have cared less about your Lightning Bolt. The only reason I found and kept it safe was to make sure that it couldn't be used to hurt innocent people or my family…" his eyes scanned the crowed again letting everyone see that he was talking about the whole group, then he glanced over to the Counselors at the head table, "…or my friends.

"Cronus tasted my blade because he ticked me off. First by controlling Luke and then when he tried to pull Grover into Tartarus, all because of your stupid Lightning Bolt, but half of the things I had to go through could have been avoided. If Ares hadn't been ready to cause a War by playing keep away and then thinking with the wrong head, the Bolt would never have left Olympus, you can acknowledge that much at least. That whole mess should have told you that there's something wrong with the way things are being run around here.

"And I know that I'm the last person that should be telling you all of this but someone has to, and I'm not saying it to be rebellious or out of a smug sense of superiority. You are the King of the gods, a god of gods, and I am simply say—no, begging you to try a little harder. I have seen the things that gods can accomplish when they put their minds to it and they are marvelous, things of endless beauty and wonder." He spoke and the awe in his voice gave credence to his words, but then Neo seemed to grow even grimmer as he continued, "But, I have also seen how negligent the gods have been in raising their children. While you have your rules and your reasons, it is hard to miss the negative impact that the actions of the gods are causing **every** demigod here in one way or another. It would take too long to list all of the problems, but I personally would like to point out that Dionysus is harboring some serious resentment, and Chiron should have been promoted to Camp Director a **long** time ago, like before Dionysus."

"Are you done?" Zeus' voice was surprisingly calm and the stormy weather had started to taper off.

The teen shrugged. "For now," he answered.

"I have said this before, it is not your business to question the actions of the gods, but since you are young I will overlook this obvious act of rebellion, despite your statement to the contrary. Do not speak out against me in such a manner again or you will face the consequences."

There was a beep and the phone lit up to signal the call had ended. The silence suddenly rushed in and his ears were left ringing. Neo sighed and picked up his phone, as he got up with his barely eaten food and walked over to the burning bowl in the center of the pavilion.

"When this steaming mountain of bullshit starts rolling down hill, I am **so** saying 'I told you so'," Neo said before the plate in his hands burst into flame and he threw the remains into the basin for offerings, simultaneously thanking his father and apologizing for all the pleading Hermes had probably done to sooth Zeus' wrath.

He suddenly had to speak to fill the silence, "Hey Clarisse! I'm probably not going to get a lot of sleep tonight, so tomorrow when you're pounding my face into the dirt, could you go a little easy on me?"

Clarisse scoffed like he was crazy, but there was an emotion in her eyes that had appeared when he started speaking to Zeus and it looked suspiciously like respect, "Yeah right, Klepto, maybe in another life when you're not a weak loser."

"Aw, you're so sweet. You should stop before I get a toothache."

"That's okay, keep it up, and I'll knock out all your teeth so you don't have to worry."

"Man, the love," he said with a mocking tone, playing up the act by clutching his chest and fanning himself. He ducked the incoming fork. The projectile sailed across the room and Chiron stopped it from hitting Mr. D, which may or may not have been a coincidence.

The demigods started laughing and the lingering quiet vanished as the campers started whispering and talking amongst themselves again. Neo smiled and playfully tousled Percy's hair as he passed by the still stunned boy.

 ***Break***

He didn't know how long he had been standing on the beach, before he caught the sound of leisurely hoof beats on the sand.

"That may have been the most singularly bravest and foolish thing I have ever witnessed," the centaur mused.

"Oh, I've done worse."

Chiron smiled, "I do not doubt that, still it was brave of you to face the wrath of Zeus and speak on behalf of the camp."

"A teacher of mine once said, _it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies but a great deal more to stand up to your friends_. In my heart and my head, I still consider Zeus family, and I wouldn't have said anything if it didn't need to be said."

"Your teacher was right, and while I cannot say one way or the other what the outcome will be, I think you should know that your words were heard by everyone in that pavilion. For good or ill, they all heard you."

"The War isn't over…it hasn't even begun, but with great turmoil comes great change. I just hope it ends with the good guys winning and something of the world intact." Neo wasn't sure why he had said it but when the words left his mouth it was like he couldn't deny the truth behind them.

Chiron didn't speak; he just rested a hand on Neo's shoulder and lightly squeezed it in camaraderie.

 ***Break***

Neo marveled at how things in his life had changed so much, while everything at Camp Half-Blood was the same. The call to breakfast, the shuffling of half-awake campers, and the cheery greeting from the odd 'morning person' were all familiar.

When breakfast was over there were cabin inspections and then training started. It was light, mostly just working through what had been taught in the previous lessons that week and not as strenuous as the warm-up exercises the Warriors Three had him doing for the last two months. Not wanting to slack off he pushed himself just as hard as he had in Asgard, maybe a little bit more, which was difficult without his usual sparing partners. But even with the heavy workout, he still found time to talk with Chiron.

Archery was still not his strong suit but that was only when he was using a training bow; when he used Marvápn the weapon became an extension of his consciousness and he could probably fire blind, he just hadn't tried while Chiron was watching. Chiron was always watching.

He rubbed a small knot out of the juncture where neck met shoulder as he walked into the stables. A few horses nickered in greeting and he smiled and returned the good mornings. He stopped and looked into one of the stalls, only to laugh a second later at the back end of the Pegasus, who was fervently ignoring him.

"…and a good morning to you too, Constance," he said cheekily.

" _Oh, did I hear something?_ " The horse asked rhetorically while not actually addressing anyone. " _It sounded familiar, but after two months my memory tends to fade, like a certain god I know who obviously couldn't be bothered to remember that I was waiting for him._ "

"I'm sorry, Constance, I've been busy," said god tried to placate the animal.

" _Too busy to take me with you apparently, so instead I had to suffer in this stuffy stable and endure the novice demigods that know absolutely nothing about flying. It was dreadful, and I don't know if I can forgive you._ " The lilt to her last words implied that she **would** forgive him, with the right **incentive**.

Neo looked down acting sheepish while trying to hide his smirk with a frown. "Not even if I brought you a gift?"

The horse turned her head to the side and looked at him over her shoulder. " _What sort of gift?_ "

The teen showed her a giant apple that was almost the size of a head of cabbage.

The Pegasus' ears flickered and she carefully turned in her stall to bring her nose closer to the apple and the god saw the curious glint in Constance's eyes. " _That is not like any I have seen or eaten before, where did you get it?_ "

"The Queen of Asgard, Frigga, gave it to me," he explained as he rolled the apple and the horse's eyes followed the movement, "it's from her garden and she wanted you to have it after she heard about you helping me."

" _I see, and I accept, after all I am wise enough to know that it is not good to anger a god bearing gifts._ "

Neo held out the fruit and Constance was quick to take a bite. He watched as she shivered in delight, the muscles under her white coat trembling. " _Oh…oh my, that is delicious,_ " she barely swallowed before taking another bite, " _Simply divine_."

Once the apple was gone the horse stared at the young god with her big eyes and brought her head up haughtily, " _I suppose I can forgive you this once, but do not do it again for it will take much more than an apple next time._ "

"Well, if that's all it takes," he started to say and then shrugged, "I guess you don't want to go for a ride then."

" _Do not be ridiculous, getting me out of here and going for a ride is the least you could have done and was implied from the beginning. Now, open the door,_ " she demanded with snooty impatience.

They rode for the next hour, Constance wings cut gracefully through the air until Neo guided them back to the ground for lunch.

There was already an occupant in the clearing when they landed; Elric stood calmly with a large domed platter, obviously waiting for his master, and the spirit made it look as effortless as everything else he did. Lunch consisted of perfectly prepared roast beef sandwiches and an artfully crafted salad topped with walnuts and mandarin orange pieces. The servant had also prepared a miniature version of the salad for Kea, and the tiniest strawberry tart Neo had ever seen. Constance was not forgotten and Elric presented the horse with a bowl of mixed oats, apple slices, celery and carrots.

Earlier that morning Neo had talked to Chiron about visiting his three soul mates. The centaur had said he could be gone as long as he wanted, but if he was coming back in the evening Chiron would prefer he arrived before lights out. As they finished up their meal, Neo decided to mention his plans to his companions.

"I want to spend the rest of the day with my mates, so we'll have to end early today, unless you feel like taking a stroll through New York?"

" _I spend most of my days at this little camp. It seems only fair that I allow the common people to look upon my glory from time to time._ "

Neo sputtered as he tried to hold back a laugh, "Okay," he had to pause to let out a chuckle, "That sounds reasonable."

Neo assumed there might be a law or something involving a horse walking through the streets, so he thought they would get in less trouble if Constance wore a saddle. She outright refused and almost stomped his toe when she began to rant, " _You would make me hide my perfect coat under an ugly saddle? We're going out in public, and it is not like you need one, you can fly! I refuse to wear such old, filthy_..." When he was able to get a word in the god explained that he only wanted to use the saddle to hide her wings in public.

"You're right. I was just going to make a saddle that worked like Chiron's chair to hide your wings, and I was going to let you decide what it looked like, as damaging as that could be to my pride."

He was right to feel trepidation over letting Constance decide what the saddle would look like, because she had insisted that she wanted it made from white leather, with silver trimming and diamond studded. When he was done adding an expansion charm to the inside of the transfigured saddle, it was so girly, that he swore he could feel what was left of his manliness shrivel and crawl into a deep, dark hole.

From the time that the tantrum started to the time he was finished crafting the saddle, they had stayed an extra thirty minutes. Not wanting to waist more time he gripped Constance's mane and swung onto her back and they took off.

As they trotted through traffic, Neo was making a valiant effort to not look back at the New Yorkers staring at him from the sidewalk, knowing that he must have looked ridiculous riding a white horse while his black leather jacket clashed with the princess saddle, and he had stopped trying to convince himself the saddle wasn't **that** girly because it was. It must have looked like he stole Constance from one of those romantic carriages that strolled through the parks; but he refused to say anything about it, because the Pegasus appeared to be enjoying the attention as she held up her head and pranced with a high-step gait down the street. Now he wanted to crawl into that hole his manliness had squirreled away in and hide from the world.

'Suck it up, Neo. You got yourself into this, now take it like a man,' he told himself, the possible double meaning of the words instantly made him laugh, and he felt better after that.

They arrived at the SHIELD headquarters and paused on the sidewalk for a second before Neo shrugged, and guided Constance through the automatic doors as he bent down to avoid knocking his head.

The Pegasus and rider walked right past the guard station, and Neo saw a stunned guard move to stop them before his companion placed a hand on the man's shoulder and shook his head.

"He has clearance," the second guard explained in a clipped tone.

The god dismounted when they were in the middle of the lobby. "You want to try the elevator or just wait here?"

Constance jerked her head back, " _I can only hope you're joking, little god_."

"When they said there was a horse in the lobby, I almost thought security was trying to play a joke on me, and then they told me who the rider was," the warm familiar voice from behind him made Neo smile as he turned around.

"Nice saddle," the comment was more of a jibe but Phil raised an eyebrow when the 'horse' seemed to pose.

The young god gave an easy shrug and his smile turned roguish. "She picked it out. Phil this is Constance, Constance meet Phil," Neo introduced.

It wasn't surprising when Phil spoke to the horse, "It's a pleasure to meet you Constance."

" _Of course it is._ " The Pegasus huffed and nodded her head.

Neo rolled his eyes, "Are you ready to go?"

"I didn't know I was leaving."

"Of course you are. That's how these things go. The young prince rides in on his white steed to rescue the princess from the tall tower where she is surrounded by evil minions and then he sweeps her off her feet and they ride off into the sunset." Neo takes Phil's hands and pulls the agent to him. "Well, in this case the princess is a handsome secret agent and it's only one o'clock," he murmurs before sealing their lips together.

The agent pulls back with a smile on his face, "..and the evil minions?" Phil probes.

"Well…" Neo cajoles in a doubtful tone that received an unimpressed look from the agent, "…they're not **all** evil?" a raised eyebrow, "…okay, they're not **evil** , but they are minions," he quickly tacks on the last part before he can receive another 'look', but can't help adding, "and they are ruled by a one-eyed pirate king, known as Director Fury."

Phil continues to stand there watching Neo with an unreadable expression. "He doesn't have a parrot."

Neo smirks, "But, you can't deny that he has a ship somewhere."

Phil is nonchalant when he speaks, "Several."

Neo laughs then swiftly maneuvers Phil into a princess carry, before spinning around to place the man on the back of the Pegasus and swinging on behind.

"So, my handsome secret agent, shall we ride?" the god questions.

"The Director isn't going to like me suddenly leaving," Phil warns.

"Oi, everyone," Neo abruptly shouts, "I'm kidnapping Agent Coulson, okay?" There was no response but plenty of strange looks, the god smirked. "If Fury asks, just tell him that Death rode in on a pale horse and swept Agent Coulson into a kiss before carrying him off."

The 'smack' of a hand meeting leather was heard as Phil lightly backhanded Neo's shoulder, which caused the god to burst into laughter.

"Come on, that was a good joke."

Phil felt warmth in his chest and a simultaneous pain; the agent had noticed the difference between this meeting and their last; and Phil was having mixed feelings about the fact that the young god seemed more confident than before. He needed the reminder, because Neo was still young.

 ***Break***

Constance alighted on the grass outside the Xavier mansion and the two riders dismounted. Neo rubbed her nose and asked, "Why don't you go back and rest? We're going to find James and then head to the west coast, but I'll see you for riding practice tomorrow."

" _As you wish, young one, but you'd better not be late._ " The mare nudged her rider affectionately before trotting away and flying off.

At the Institute, Sunday meant no classes after lunch, so there were plenty of children loitering around when they stepped inside, some children stopped to stare at the new face while others greeted Neo.

When Phil tensed as a girl walked by, her hands sparking, Neo gently took the agent's hand. "I'm sure you already know about Xavier's School for Gifted Youth. The freedom here is nice. No one has to worry about hiding who they are." He squeezed the agents hand gently. "I bet you some of these kids dream about being a spy, what kid doesn't? They probably think about using their gifts to sneak through secure buildings and save the world from a terrorist plot." He grinned to himself suddenly. "…or just peeking into the girls or boys loo without getting caught."

"Sounds like typical teenager behavior." Phil voiced in an agreeing tone.

The god gave a small smile. "Most of them are, some are younger and a few are older. It's usual for abilities to show during pre-teen and teenage years, but there are the rare occasions when powers manifest under severe stress or lay dormant for years before showing as an adult. But, that's just what I learned while I stayed at the mansion."

"That's more than the rest of the world knows. The government tries to keep the existence of mutants a secret from the general population."

"Mutants, it's just like saying 'muggle', people trying to separate and classify others as different." Neo's quiet words were bitter at first but then he quickly appeared to switch to lecture mode. "Call them mutants but they're still human. Some of the first mutations that mankind came across are the differences in hair and eye color, but I wouldn't call you a mutant just because your brunette."

"Well said, old friend," came a voice from close by.

When the agent and god turned they saw two other men. "Good afternoon, Erik, Charles, you remember Phillip Coulson, my soul mate?" Neo hailed to the two men.

"Mr. Lehnsherr, Mr. Xavier, it's nice to see you again." Phil greeted kindly as he shook each man's hand.

"Please, Agent Coulson, Erik and Charles will do just fine." Charles said with a disarming smile.

Charles' greeting eased some of the tension Phil had. "Then feel free to call me Phil."

The god couldn't stop the dopey smile that spread across his face, and instead of fading it grew when the god noticed James, Victor and Bucky walking down the hall to join them.

James noticed Neo's goofy grin. "What are you smiling about, Green Eyes?"

"I'm just so happy," he let out a breathy chuckle, "and all it takes is one of my soul mates, Father help me, I have three. Three perfect mates, who make me feel like the luckiest being alive, god or otherwise."

"Ugh, seriously?" Victor grumbled, "This starry-eyed shit's giving me the hives."

Bucky chuckled and gave the blonde mutant a commiserating pat on the shoulder, "It was kind of romantic, also poetic and extremely sappy."

"Oh you just wait until we find Steve," Neo taunted.

"You're looking for Captain Rogers?" Phil asked, because of course he knew who they were talking about. Neo was chatting with the legendary James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes, child-hood friend of Steven 'Steve' Grant Rogers, **the** Captain America, what other Steve would they be talking about?

"We never stopped," Victor's voice was so matter-of-fact and the look in his eyes showed that he had actively participated in the search over the years.

From beside his brother, James nodded. "Kid saved the world, and he was part of our unit, we're not going to leave him out there. It's our duty to bring him home."

"Steve was part of my team, even though that fact was kept secret and his publicity made him seem separate. We've had people searching for him ever since he went missing." Neo revealed to the agent.

Phil was still in the dark when it came to the full extent of the S.E.R.F.'s reach and power, but he had several conversations with the Director involving the mysterious group. "SHIELD has also been looking for the Captain's location."

"We know," the statement was made simultaneously by Erik, Victor, and James; the three men having been present during the founding of SHIELD. Their uncanny timing had the three mutants smirking.

"Yes, yes, we are all aware that you are _old_ ," Neo said stressing the last word by deepening his voice. "Don't frown, love," the god chided his dark haired mate, "you're like good whiskey, you get better with age." He gave James a salacious grin before swiftly changing the subject, "As much as I love seeing that look on Victor's face, I think we should leave now. Elric did you get the overnight bags packed?"

Everyone else became aware of the spirit's presence when he spoke up from behind Neo. "I have prepared the necessary items for both Mr. Howlett and Mr. Coulson, along with everything else you requested, young master."

"Alright, movie night at Tony's and all the pizza we can eat," the young god exclaimed as he grabbed James by the elbow, and still holding on to Phil's hand, he quickly teleported them away.

Victor turns to the others that were left standing in the hall. "I bet you fifty dollars, Tony doesn't even know about 'movie night'."

"I'll pass on that action because you're probably right," Bucky added.

All four men laughed at that, and then resumed what they had been doing before the rambunctious god had arrived. Bucky and Victor were down a player in their pool game but it was easier to play with two than trying to find a fourth, the "Swamp Rat" was out of town on a mission and the kids were all amateurs.

 ***Break***

Neo, Phil and James reappeared outside of Tony's front door. His mix of paranoia and ADHD, had Neo quickly checking the protection and privacy wards he had constructed around Tony's property before they headed inside to the living room. Elric followed them inside and took the two bags he was carrying to the bedroom.

Neo greeted Tony's electronic assistant, first thing, "Hey, Jarvis! Where's Tony?"

"Good Afternoon, sir, Mr. Stark is currently in the garage working on the Mark V. I'm already informing him that you are here…he wants me to tell you that he will be 'up in a minute'. Is there anything I can do for you in the meantime?"

"I've declared a movie night, and I'm thinking about either a western or a mystery for the first one. Got any recommendations?"

"I have access to a vast catalog of digital copies for both genres, would you like me to list them?" Jarvis was proof that it was possible for an A.I. to sound smug. The electronic butler began listing movies starting with the ones Tony seemed to favor, and the three mates got comfortable on the couch as Jarvis flicked through titles on the TV.

Five minutes later, Neo was pressed up against Phil, his eyes on the screen as his left hand lazily massaged the agent's scalp and the fingers of his right continuously stroked the man's tie. They were still discussing what movie to watch while James enjoyed a slice of meat-lovers pizza with his beer.

Neo had asked Elric to grab the more common movie fare such as pizza and popcorn, there was a mountain of both, plus concession candy. Elric had included mixed nuts, pistachios and dried fruit. Beside the food was a variety of drinks, which of course, included James' favorite beer.

The god mulled over Phil's last suggestion before he almost bounced in his place, "Oh, I just thought of a movie. Jarvis, do you have 'High Society'?"

"Yes sir, though I do believe that movie is neither a western nor a mystery."

"Eh, it's an old movie, and love will always be a mystery, J," the god commented with a smile.

"I believe that," Tony said as he came to the top of the garage stairs and found the three on his couch, "You three are adorable, but I can't help thinking this picture would be better if we were in the bedroom, horizontal, with less clothes." The genius waged his brows once as his lips curled into a cheeky grin. "You know, just a thought."

The teen's voice was tinged with laughter as he spoke. "As tempting as that is, Tony, right now I have a different idea." He waved his hands over the heavily burdened coffee table. "We sit here and gorge ourselves on as much of this food as we possibly can and watch movies for the rest of the night. And when we can't hold our eyes open any longer, we'll go to bed, because the three of us have to head back to New York early tomorrow morning."

"Just cuddling then, okay, I can do cuddling." When the billionaire makes it to the couch he playfully dive-bombs the spot between the brunette mutant and raven-haired god. Neo and Tony laugh openly, while James pretends to be annoyed. The genius gives the feral man an apologetic peck on the cheek before he turns to Neo and kisses the god's plump lips. Tony offers Phil a warm smile and reaches across Neo to pat the man once on the thigh. "Hello Agent," is the short and warm greeting he offers the blonde, "So, what are we watching?"

"High Society," James grumbles helpfully before taking a long pull from his beer bottle.

"Oh, I guess that's not too bad." Tony says as he reaches for the nuts and grabs a handful before tossing one into the air to catch in his mouth. "I call dibs on choosing the next one," he declares.

They watched three movies in comfortable silence, shifting positions from time to time as they got up to go to the bathroom. Now, Neo found himself with his head in Phil's lap and his feet against James leg as Tony lay across him; the genius was sprawled down the length of the god with his head on Neo's chest, and their legs tangled together.

The teen watched the dim light from the TV screen dance across Tony's features, as the credits rolled. His right hand had been carding through the billionaire's soft brown hair since they found themselves in this position, but now Neo brought his other hand up to lightly run his fingertips over Tony's face. The touch was feather light as he traced his mate's cheekbone then down the man's cheek to the hairs on his chin. Long lashes fluttered before moving to reveal intelligent blue eyes.

Neo's breath caught in his throat for a second before he tilted Tony's face up, the man willingly following, and bent down for a kiss. "You are so beautiful," he whispered against the genius' lips, both smiled as their lips came together again.

James stretched out and moved to put down the empty beer bottle in his hand, "I don't know about you three, but I'm ready to get some sleep."

"Yeah, we should head to bed before it gets any later," Phil added as he moved to pick up some of the trash off of the coffee table.

"That will not be necessary, sir," Elric said appearing suddenly from the side, "Leave everything to me, and feel free to make your way to the bedroom. You and Mr. Howlett will find your personal care items in your traveling cases and towels in the bathroom, along with sleep wear on the bed. There is another suit hanging in the closet for you Mr. Coulson, and I have also placed yours and Mr. Howlett's suitcases next to the door where you should find anything else you might need."

"I have prepared the Queen's chambers with fresh bedding as well," Banafrit commented as she walked into the room, "If you need anything else, please let me know how I can serve you."

James scoffed and muttered not so quietly, "The only 'queen' that Stark is, is a 'Drama Queen'."

Neo tried not to laugh but his chest moved with a silent chuckle, "Oof," a breath rushed out of him in surprise when Tony jabbed him with a finger in annoyance. "I didn't say anything! It was James," the god defended.

"…and? You still laughed," the billionaire retorted, "Besides, I'm a genius so I'm smart enough to figure out that I shouldn't kick a guy with a metal skeleton, as tempting as it is, or I'll end up breaking my foot."

Neo growled playfully as he moved to stand, effortlessly keeping the billionaire in his arms which forced the other man to wrap his arms around the younger's neck for support.

"But, it's alright to annoy a god?" he questioned, as he teasingly ran his hands under Tony's shirt and over his sides lightly, causing a shiver to run through the brunette from the slightly ticklish caress.

The inventor's reply was swift and full of confidence, "Oh come on, you're soft on me and you know it."

"Emotionally," Neo gave an agreeing nod, before leaning in and practically purring into his mate's ear, "but physically, I'm **so** hard…" he gently nibbled on the lobe, "…for you." There was a muffled moan from the billionaire. "Let's go get ready for bed, love."

When Tony and Neo walked by, Phil stood, and all four men found their way to the bedroom. They were quick to shower and dress in sleep wear. Each of them was tired enough that they collapsed into the bed, and were asleep in minutes.

 ***Break***

Waking up feeling rested but unwilling to move it took a few minutes before Neo even opened his eyes, and when he did he suddenly wished time would just stand still. Neo's arm was draped over Phil's as he curled into the man's back, while on the other side of the bed, facing toward him, James was doing the same to Tony.

The billionaire looked serene and Neo was happy. Tony had not been getting enough sleep, lately; something Neo wouldn't need to mention to his other mates, since he was sure he wasn't the only one to notice the dark circles under Tony's eyes. The god had been roused from sleep most nights while in Asgard by feelings of distress coming through their bond; every night after being awakened, he would stay up and send calming waves through the bond to try and banish the nightmares, but sometimes it wouldn't work. He hadn't seen any signs that the dreams were affecting the agent or mutant, but when Tony came up from the workshop last night, Neo had seen the signs of fatigue.

It was still dark outside with no signs of the coming sunrise, and not wanting to have his mate's rest disturbed, the god mentally contacted his servant, " _Elric, I've changed my mind about our departure time, please leave a message for Charles and let him know that James won't be able to teach his classes today. When you're finished with that, I need you to contact Fury, because I'm sure that pirate never sleeps, and let him know that Phil will be coming in late today. Then find each of my mates' phones and take them downstairs where we won't hear them…wait, do that first._ "

" _As you command, master,_ " the spirit replied.

A second later, his connection to his servant was the only thing that let Neo know the spirit had entered the room, and then was gone again.

" _Oh, and please tell Jarvis not to disturb us_ ," the teen added.

" _Yes, my lord,_ " A little while later the servant spoke again, " _I have left a message for Professor Xavier and contacted Director Fury, he was very displeased to hear from me and demanded to know where Agent Coulson was. I informed him that Phillip was here though he did not believe me."_

" _He'll probably send someone to check, anyway, so expect company._ "

" _I shall remain vigilant, Master._ "

Neo closed his eyes and felt himself dozing off, so he allowed himself to be pulled into unconsciousness with the feeling of Phil against his chest to comfort him.


End file.
